Dwyane Wade deciding to sign with the Chicago Bulls on a two-year deal was a real head-scratcher, and arguably even more controversial than Durant signing with the Warriors. This is because conventional basketball thinking makes the Bulls a very strange group, pairing Wade with the likes of Rajon Rondo and Jimmy Butler.
Butler, the only one out of the three still in his prime, told K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune about what he expects from his new teammates:
Butler: “What I want them guys to do whenever I’m on some bulls**t, I want them to tell me. I want you to say my name, man to man.”
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) July 18, 2016
Rondo and Wade have something that Butler doesn’t in championship experience and pedigree. That’s what Butler also wants a taste of from his new veteran teammates. He’ll presumably be a sponge, looking for mentorship and leadership from Rondo and Wade throughout the season.
At the same time, it’s understood that the Bulls are still Jimmy Butler’s team — a conversation that is always had when ball-needy players find themselves on the same roster. Last season Butler became a certified number one scoring option, and he’s still the team’s best player, but what Rondo and Wade bring to the table is also needed in order to compete. For Butler, ascending his game to another level means having to embrace accountability from two of the league’s proven leaders and champions.
