The Chicago Bulls came into the season hoping that Dwyane Wade would help turn them into contenders again in the Eastern Conference, but with the team struggling to hold on to a playoff spot, questions are being asked about the veteran’s future with the team.
During an interview session with media on Tuesday morning, Wade shed some light on his thought process about his player option, and said that he would at least consider whether or not to become a free agent after the season is over.
“I wouldn’t lie to you and say no, of course,” he said. “I take my career seriously, and where I am, where I want to be, and I will do the same thing this summer.”
Wade signed a free agent contract with the Bulls before the 2016-17 season, but things haven’t been going as well as he would have hoped. The team is still in a heated competition with several other clubs for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, and amid rumors about Fred Hoiberg’s job status and about the tenor of relations in the locker room, Wade is trying to look at things as pragmatically as possible.
“I can’t play this game forever. I just turned 35 and I have a number in my head on how long I want to play,” he said. “At the end of the day, you want to be in a situation, whether it’s a competitive situation or whatever it may be.”
Wade’s contract comes with a player option at the end of this season, meaning that he can either pick it up and opt to stay with the Bulls or he can decline it and become a free agent again. While things haven’t gone as planned so far with the Bulls, Wade is trying to focus on the positives about being on a young team that’s still trying to find its identity.
“It’s hard to win in this league,” he said. “I think we’re experiencing that as a team and what these young players are learning.”
