Dwyane Wade tells Bulls he's picking up $24M option for 2018
Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2017 8:07 am
Dwyane Wade tells Bulls he's picking up $24M option for 2017-18
CHICAGO -- Dwyane Wade has informed the Bulls that he will pick up his $23.8 million player option for next season.
Team personnel have believed for several months that the 35-year-old would pick up the option because it was highly unlikely he would be offered that much money on the open market.
Now that Wade has made his decision, the Bulls must focus on whether they will trade Jimmy Butler before Thursday night's NBA draft. League sources said the Bulls front office continues to listen to offers for the All-Star swingman, and there is more momentum for a full-scale rebuild within the organization than there has been in years past.
However, sources told ESPN's Marc Stein on Tuesday that the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are among the teams pursuing Butler, have been notified that Butler hopes to stay with the Bulls and that he would be reluctant to commit his long-term future to Cleveland. Butler, sources said, remains intent on trying to lead the Bulls back to Eastern Conference prominence.
Butler could become a free agent in July 2019.