National Basketball Association

Dwyane Wade Rightfully Brings Expectations for Bulls Back to Earth

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

After practice on Tuesday, Bulls guard Dwyane Wade had some accurate thoughts on the expectations for this year’s Chicago Bulls roster.

Are the playoffs a realistic expectation for Dwyane Wade and this season’s version of the Chicago Bulls? It’s truly debatable, but the numbers and personnel (as of now) say probably not.

OK, but what about winning a title with Wade and rest of the “Three Alphas” being a logical expectation?

According to Wade himself, absolutely not.

After the Bulls’ practice concluded on Tuesday, Wade answered some questions with the local media, and when championship expectations were discussed, the three-time champion kept it real.

When it comes to the fan base, some will agree with Wade’s thoughts, and some won’t. That can basically be said about a lot of things involving the Bulls in recent years.

Some wanted Tom Thibodeau to stay, some didn’t. Some think this rag-tag Bulls roster can actually win a title, some won’t.

The point is, Wade appears to be taking a one-day-at-a-time approach and that’s how it should be with these Bulls. They’re not a “good team”, but they’re not a Sam Hinkie-era Philadelphia 76ers roster. They have pieces that could mesh into being a good team as the season goes along.

Wade is a key part of that. His health over an 82-game slate, along with Rajon Rondo’s willingness to adapt with another franchise, and Jimmy Butler’s ability to blend his game with other “stars” could go a long way in telling us how good this team actually is this year.

So, if getting back to the postseason is the expectation (which is a good starting point in terms of goals), that’s fine. It’s unlikely at this point, but it’s a realistic outlook for the Bulls.

Winning a championship this season isn’t. Period.