Sam Smith: Could a backcourt of D-Rose and D-Wade become a reality?
Kirk Hinrich often has been mentioned as a possible target of the Trail Blazers, who want to upgrade at point guard from Steve Blake. Blake is under a team option for $4 million next season and would be an ideal backup guard at a lesser price. Portland is expected to have about $7 million in salary cap room, so they could absorb some extra salary. Maybe they throw in a draft pick the Bulls could use in a larger deal to try to lure away a star level player. That could be examined before the draft.
Though the really intriguing possibility is Dwyane Wade. He can opt out of his contract after next season. The general feeling has been the Heat has improved so much from last season Wade will want to return. But in the Heat’s seven-game first round loss to the Atlanta Hawks, Wade, obviously, still was having trouble with the maturity of the Heat’s young players.
“To be honest with you I have no idea (if they understand playoff intensity). I don’t,” Wade told South Florida media during the series. “If it seems like I’m calling them out, I’m not calling them out. But I want to see our young guys play like it’s Game 6 of the playoffs (the Heat would win and then lose in Atlanta). If ‘Rio (guard Mario Chalmers) says he’s won a national championship, well, I want to see him play like it. I want to see Michael (Beasley) play.”
Wade did say he’s very encouraged by the improvement this season and told reporters after Sunday’s game: "The team that won 15 games last year came back to win 43 games this year and took Atlanta to seven games in the playoffs. We've got something to build on."
But it was clear watching the series Wade was as alone as any star. Chalmers was constantly being yelled at about defensive position. Beasley floated in and out of games and positions. Daequan Cook played sparingly.
And that’s why the Bulls impressive showing against the Celtics was so important.
The Bulls opened a lot of eyes around the league and will become the team to watch coming into next season. We’ve heard speculation about Wade for some time because he is from Chicago and might prefer a larger market. But now the Bulls also have impressive pieces in place where, with the addition of a star like Wade, the Bulls could be considered legitimate championship contenders.
With the expiring contracts of Brad Miller, Jerome James and Tim Thomas, the Bulls have positioned themselves well to offer a player like Wade a maximum contract after next season. Yes, Chris Bosh also will be a free agent and many believe he would leave Toronto. But compare what Wade did with Miami to what Bosh did with a Toronto team that clearly had way more talent. Wade’s a difference maker, a true star in this era. Bosh, really, is a supporting star.
Wade could walk right into a backcourt with Derrick Rose, two potential all-league players with a nice supporting cast with Joakim Noah, Luol Deng and John Salmons. Such a plan likely would preclude making a big offer and bringing back Ben Gordon. But then you also risk Miami pulling off a coup, and, say, getting Bosh and then ending up with the 2010 version of Ron Mercer.
It’s a heck of a decision that could be second guessed either way.
Do you build on what you just accomplished and try to add a low post scorer now and try to bring back the basic group from this season and forget about 2010? Or continue to build and go for the big jackpot in 2010 knowing how much you’d have to offer to a player like Wade who could be the scoring star since Rose doesn’t care for that role and get back to seriously competing for a championship again?
It may be a crossroads summer for the franchise.
