Dwyane Wade Says Goodbye to Miami

After 13 successful seasons in South Beach, All-Star guard Dwyane Wade is leaving for the Windy City. Wade signed a two-year, $47 million deal with his hometown Chicago Bulls. The Heat were only offering Wade a two-year, $40 million dollar deal. Wade was reportedly looking for a contract that would pay him around $25 million a year.

The most lucrative offer came from Denver who was offering him a two-year deal worth around $52 million. Wade also had a meeting with Milwaukee, but the Bucks were nowhere near Wade’s asking price of $25 million a year.

Wade was drafted by the Heat in 2003 and spent his entire 13-year career in Miami. In those 13 seasons Wade won three NBA titles, two with Lebron James (2012,2013) and one without (2006), made 12 All-Star appearances, and was the NBA scoring champion in 2009.

Wade leaves his mark everywhere in Miami. He is the franchise’s all-time leader in games played, points, assists, and steals. What Heat fans may remember most though is in 2006, in Dallas for Game 6 of the NBA finals, when Wade rebounded the ball in final seconds then threw it in the air to give the organization its first NBA title. Wade averaged 34.7 points per game to help the Heat come back from down 2-1 and went on to win NBA Finals MVP.

Dwyane Wade leaves Miami as a 3x NBA champion and franchise leader in many categories. pic.twitter.com/flIVkPjFlq

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 7, 2016

Wade is coming off one of his most successful seasons in the last few years. He played in 74 games, his most since the 2010-2011 season, and averaged 19 points, 4.6 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game.  Wade will be joining a loaded backcourt in Chicago with Jimmy Butler and newly signed guard Rajon Rondo.

But to Dwyane Wade, Miami will always be his second home.

But Miami-Dade County to me..will always be Wade County!!!

— DWade (@DwyaneWade) July 7, 2016