There was a time in the not-too-distant past that then-Bulls Derrick Rose went toe-to-toe with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, the Miami Heat's tag-team duo in the Eastern Conference.
Six years later, Wade has replaced Rose in Chicago. Rose made a pitstop in New York via trade. James, after winning two titles in Miami, went back to Cleveland. Rose joined him earlier this offseason, signing a one-year deal with the Cavs.
Got all that?
The NBA looks different these days, and according to one Cavaliers beat writer it could look way different sometime this year. That's because Cleveland.com's Joe Vardon reported Tuesday that people in James' camp believe Dwyane Wade will play for the Cavaliers at some point this season.
"As of right now, people close to James are fairly confident that, at some point this year, Dwyane Wade is going to end up on the Cavs."
Now, there's obviously a lot to break down here. First, Wade is under contract with the Bulls and is due nearly $24 million this season. Then again, a report earlier this month said that Wade is likely to be bought out by the Bulls sometime in the near future. That part isn't all that wild, but it's far from a sure thing, especially if Wade and the Bulls can't agree on how much Wade should receive if bought out.
Then there's the decision Wade would have to make after clearing waivers. It was pretty clear he wasn't chasing a championship ring when he opted to sign with the Bulls last summer. Who's to say that itch has returned? We already know he'd be welcomed back to Miami, as face-of-the-franchise center Hassan Whiteside said he would.
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Going to Cleveland would, of course, put Wade in great position to go chase a fourth NBA title, but it would also put him alongside his good friend James.
There's a lot to break down here, but we know this much: the Bulls have entered rebuilding mode and clearly don't have a use for Wade. But Wade could also be part of a trade in the winter as an expiring contract that nets the Bulls future assets. He's also a heck of a mentor for what will be one of the best young teams in the league. He also puts butts in the United Center seats, which may be more difficult to do than in recent years.