By Chad Ford. CHICAGO -- Dwyane Wade is leaning toward committing to the Chicago Bulls, a source close to the situation told ESPN.com's Chad Ford on Friday.
According to the source, Wade requested a second meeting with the Bulls shortly after the 2006 NBA Finals MVP spent more than two hours getting wooed by the New York Knicks at a downtown Chicago hotel Friday morning. The source stressed that Wade needed the meeting to clarify issues around signing with the Bulls.
Wade's second sitdown with the Bulls lasted 2½ hours.
"Things are getting very interesting," he said.
If Wade were to agree to join the Bulls, it could clear the way for fellow free-agent superstars Chris Bosh or LeBron James to join Wade in Chicago.
Wade had dinner with Bosh in Chicago on Thursday night and according to the source, one topic of discussion was the advantages of playing with the Bulls versus the Heat.
The source said Wade is unclear how the Heat, who currently have just two players under contract, will be able to build a championship contender around him given salary-cap constraints. While the Heat have the money to bring in one more max player (and possibly a second if they do a sign-and-trade), the team will have to fill the rest of the roster with minimum salary players.
The Bulls on the other hand, already have several key players including Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah in place. If the Bulls can work out a deal to ship Luol Deng's contract out of town, they would have the funds to add James or Bosh to the puzzle, too.
The Bulls have already met with Bosh and are scheduled to meet with James on Saturday in Ohio. Wade was asked whether James will have any influence on what he does.
"I can't say. We're both going to make our own decisions," Wade said, then added: "We're real good friends."
The Bulls felt positive coming out of the meetings with Bosh and Wade, a source familiar with the situation said.
Wade has multiple ties to Chicago -- a home and family, including his mother, a pastor whose church in the city was purchased for her by her son -- but has said repeatedly he would like to stay with the Miami Heat. However, he did structure his last contract for the opportunity to become a free agent for the first time.
The Heat are scheduled to meet with Wade again on Saturday in Chicago.
Wade's morning sitdown with the Knicks lasted 2 hours and 15 minutes and Wade spoke with reporters as he was leaving the hotel.
"It was a good meeting, it was a real good meeting and I will say I'm intrigued," he said, declining further comment before driving away.
Beforehand, Wade got out of a black Suburban and told reporters he was "in a New York state of mind right now, so we'll see" how it goes.
Earlier in the day, he tweeted that he got up early for "Another day of pondering my future. ... Things are interesting to say the least."
Wade met the Bulls and New Jersey Nets on Thursday, plus heard from the Heat when free agency opened.
"So far, so good, very informative," his agent, Henry Thomas, said Thursday of the teams' pitches so far.
Nets head coach Avery Johnson was confident in the team's pitches to both Wade and Bosh, whom the team also met with Friday.
"We told our story. We showed our vision," a smiling Johnson said Friday after putting Nets rookies and free agents through a practice for an upcoming summer league. "We talked about how we already have some valuable assets and that's all you can do. We understand there is competition out there and at the end of the day those prospective free agents, they are going to do what is best for them and their families."
As Wade talked with the Knicks, Heat president Pat Riley was spending about three hours in Cleveland with LeBron James, who Wade would love to team up with next season.
And given the interest Wade is showing other clubs, it's obviously incumbent upon Riley to deliver a star to Miami.
Wade is expected to return to Florida early next week and join Heat executive Alonzo Mourning for a Tuesday news conference about their annual Summer Groove, a fundraising weekend for youth programs and other charitable causes. Wade is expected to play in an all-star game as part of that weekend on July 18.
According to the source, Wade requested a second meeting with the Bulls shortly after the 2006 NBA Finals MVP spent more than two hours getting wooed by the New York Knicks at a downtown Chicago hotel Friday morning. The source stressed that Wade needed the meeting to clarify issues around signing with the Bulls.
Wade's second sitdown with the Bulls lasted 2½ hours.
"Things are getting very interesting," he said.
If Wade were to agree to join the Bulls, it could clear the way for fellow free-agent superstars Chris Bosh or LeBron James to join Wade in Chicago.
Wade had dinner with Bosh in Chicago on Thursday night and according to the source, one topic of discussion was the advantages of playing with the Bulls versus the Heat.
The source said Wade is unclear how the Heat, who currently have just two players under contract, will be able to build a championship contender around him given salary-cap constraints. While the Heat have the money to bring in one more max player (and possibly a second if they do a sign-and-trade), the team will have to fill the rest of the roster with minimum salary players.
The Bulls on the other hand, already have several key players including Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah in place. If the Bulls can work out a deal to ship Luol Deng's contract out of town, they would have the funds to add James or Bosh to the puzzle, too.
The Bulls have already met with Bosh and are scheduled to meet with James on Saturday in Ohio. Wade was asked whether James will have any influence on what he does.
"I can't say. We're both going to make our own decisions," Wade said, then added: "We're real good friends."
The Bulls felt positive coming out of the meetings with Bosh and Wade, a source familiar with the situation said.
Wade has multiple ties to Chicago -- a home and family, including his mother, a pastor whose church in the city was purchased for her by her son -- but has said repeatedly he would like to stay with the Miami Heat. However, he did structure his last contract for the opportunity to become a free agent for the first time.
The Heat are scheduled to meet with Wade again on Saturday in Chicago.
Wade's morning sitdown with the Knicks lasted 2 hours and 15 minutes and Wade spoke with reporters as he was leaving the hotel.
"It was a good meeting, it was a real good meeting and I will say I'm intrigued," he said, declining further comment before driving away.
Beforehand, Wade got out of a black Suburban and told reporters he was "in a New York state of mind right now, so we'll see" how it goes.
Earlier in the day, he tweeted that he got up early for "Another day of pondering my future. ... Things are interesting to say the least."
Wade met the Bulls and New Jersey Nets on Thursday, plus heard from the Heat when free agency opened.
"So far, so good, very informative," his agent, Henry Thomas, said Thursday of the teams' pitches so far.
Nets head coach Avery Johnson was confident in the team's pitches to both Wade and Bosh, whom the team also met with Friday.
"We told our story. We showed our vision," a smiling Johnson said Friday after putting Nets rookies and free agents through a practice for an upcoming summer league. "We talked about how we already have some valuable assets and that's all you can do. We understand there is competition out there and at the end of the day those prospective free agents, they are going to do what is best for them and their families."
As Wade talked with the Knicks, Heat president Pat Riley was spending about three hours in Cleveland with LeBron James, who Wade would love to team up with next season.
And given the interest Wade is showing other clubs, it's obviously incumbent upon Riley to deliver a star to Miami.
Wade is expected to return to Florida early next week and join Heat executive Alonzo Mourning for a Tuesday news conference about their annual Summer Groove, a fundraising weekend for youth programs and other charitable causes. Wade is expected to play in an all-star game as part of that weekend on July 18.
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