Wade has committed to join Bulls, sources say
Free agent Dwyane Wade has committed to joining the Chicago Bulls, sources said Wednesday night.
“He’s home,” one source close to Wade said of the Chicago native.
The Bulls had been gaining momentum on landing Wade and believed they had a trade partner willing to take on Jose Calderon to clear salary-cap space, sources told ESPN.com.
Wade, a Chicago area native, and the Bulls entered serious negotiations late Wednesday after he held free agent meetings during the day with several teams, sources said.
The Bulls ramped up efforts to clear needed space to give Wade the multiyear deal he has been seeking.
The Brooklyn Nets emerged as a potential trade destination for Calderon, sources said.
The Miami Heat have a two-year, $40 million offer on the table for Wade. But there has been extreme acrimony building between the sides over the last week. Wade met with Heat owner Micky Arison in New York Monday.
Afterward the Bulls picked up their intensity in attempting to trade players, sources said.
That has been focused on the veteran Calderon, who is in the final year of a contract that pays him $7.7 million.
If the Bulls are able to offload his deal, clears the way for them to create more than $20 million and beat the Heat’s offer.
The Bulls have also been seeking offers for Mike Dunleavy, who is slated to earn $4.8 million this season.
The richest offer for Wade has been from the Denver Nuggets, who have offered him $52 million over two years. Wade met with the Nuggets Wednesday.
Wade has told friends if he ever left Miami, where he has played 13 seasons and won three titles, it would be to play for his hometown Bulls, sources said.
