Chicago Bulls: Takeaways From Dwyane Wade Injury

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 12:28 a.m. ET

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Feb 1, 2017; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Dwyane Wade (3) drives to the basket in front of Oklahoma City Thunder guard Anthony Morrow (2) during the fourth quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Chicago Bulls guard Dwyane Wade will miss the rest of the regular season due to an elbow injury he sustained in a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.

Even the most avid Chicago Bulls fans are not sure what to make of this 2016-17 version of their team. There have been times when the Bulls play extremely well, but those short-lived stretches are often followed by periods of inconsistency.

One moment, players are living up to expectations. The next, those same players struggle with making an impact when they're on the court.

This is hardly an ideal position to be in this late in the season.

Through 69 games, the Bulls are 32-37 and have produced just two wins in their last 10 games, placing them in the 10th spot in the Eastern Conference.

With 13 games left on the schedule, the Bulls' chances of making the playoffs were already somewhat slim. However, with the recent news about Dwyane Wade being out for the duration of the regular season due to an elbow injury, those chances have taken a significant hit.

Although anything is possible in an ever-changing Eastern Conference, this latest development is not good for the Bulls. That being said, here are the most notable takeaways from Wade's injury.

Mar 4, 2017; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Jimmy Butler (21) reacts during the first quarter against the LA Clippers at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

Jimmy Butler Will Have To Shoulder Most Of The Load

Without question, Jimmy Butler has been the best player on the roster over the past few seasons. The addition of Wade, however, meant that Butler wasn't the only player the Bulls could turn to during crunch time in close games.

Now with Wade out of the lineup, most of the scoring load will fall upon Butler's shoulders. The good news is Butler has been having a solid season. In fact, he has posted career highs in points (23.2), rebounds (6.2) and assists per game (5.1).

The bad news is Jimmy G. Buckets has not had the same level of success he did during the first half of the season. During the 11 games since the All-Star Break, Butler is averaging 17.6 points per contest on just 38 percent shooting from the field. Additionally, Butler's free throw attempts have dipped from 9.5 to just 5.6 per game.

Furthermore, he is averaging just 18.0 points per contest during the month of March, which represents his lowest scoring total of any month this season. Opposing teams were starting to double-team Butler more frequently even before Wade's injury.

With Butler now being the only legitimate scorer in the lineup, that trend will more than likely continue, and it will be up to the three-time All-Star to find a way to help lead the Bulls' postseason push without the team's second-best player on the floor.

Jan 10, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) drives to the basket as Chicago Bulls guard Michael Carter-Williams (7) and Bulls guard Denzel Valentine (45) defend in the second quarter at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Speaking Of Stepping Up

In light of Wade's injury, the door is now wide open for other players who were on the bubble to step in and prove they are ready, willing and able to contribute in a big way.

"In this league it's an opportunity league for certain guys and it comes in different ways," Wade said, via CSNChicago.com. "So this opportunity for someone that probably wasn't getting enough time that they wanted, probably wasn't getting the touches they wanted. This is going to be an opportunity to step up and try and help this team as we are in this battle to make the playoffs down the stretch."

Rajon Rondo was recently re-inserted into the starting lineup, and barring a major change, that should be the case moving forward. However, the question becomes: Which players on the roster are capable of filling in for a guy who provided inspiration both on and off the court?

It is a foregone conclusion that both Nikola Mirotic and Denzel Valentine will have increased roles, along with the likes of Jerian Grant and Michael Carter-Williams chipping in as well. But being that Fred Hoiberg has struggled with putting together a consistent rotation, it will be interesting to see how these players perform now that they will be given a big opportunity in this final stretch of the season.

Mar 13, 2017; Charlotte, NC, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Dwyane Wade (3) talks with head coach Fred Hoiberg (R) during the second half against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center. The Bulls won 115-109. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

Will D-Wade And The Bulls Part Ways?

Wade signed a two-year deal with the Bulls during the offseason, with a player option for the second year. During his first season in the Windy City, the 14-year veteran posted averages of 18.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 30.2 minutes per outing.

To determine if Wade's first season with the Bulls was a successful one depends on your perspective. On one hand, his numbers are very similar to the bounce-back season he had for the Miami Heat in 2015-16.

On the other hand, Wade's current scoring average is the second-lowest of his career, and the 43 percent conversion rate represents the lowest mark of his career. Taking that into consideration — along with the fact that the Bulls have been a mediocre team at best this year — it is reasonable to wonder if Wade would be open to returning to the Bulls next year.

As of right now, the 12-time All-Star has advised that it is too soon to say whether the injury will be a factor in his decision this upcoming offseason. Being that Wade expressed a desire to make a difference in Chicago that went beyond the basketball court, there is a chance that he returns next year.

Conversely, if the Bulls decide to move Jimmy Butler and start heading towards the unenviable task of rebuilding, that would drastically change the landscape of the situation to say the least.

Feb 3, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Members of the Chicago Bulls bench celebrate after a play during the third quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Final Analysis

Although the question pertaining to whether or not Wade will return next season will be a topic of conversation over the next several weeks, the even bigger question is whether or not the Bulls are still capable of making it to the postseason.

A couple of days ago, I discussed the factors that could help bolster Chicago's late-season playoff push. Of course, that was before this recent development unfolded, which alters things just a bit.

Yes, the Miami Heat — one of the two teams the Bulls trail by one game in the standings — is as hot as any ball club right now. After a dismal 11-30 start, Miami has posted an impressive 23-5 mark over the last 28 outings to move within one game of the .500 mark.

Having said that, the Heat certainly look like a team that has playoff potential. Meanwhile, the Pistons — the team that is currently in the ninth spot — just gave up the eighth playoff spot to Miami, with the Milwaukee Bucks occupying the No. 7 spot.

In the midst of what has been a very inconsistent season, the deck is not stacked in Chicago's favor by an means.

On the flip side of the equation, anything can happen over the remaining 13 games. And if the Bulls can find a way to play with some urgency, that coveted eighth spot is still up for grabs.