Dwyane Wade Injury Update: Chicago Bulls Rumors Confirmed, Wade Out For Season

Dwyane Wade injury updates have become part of his story in the NBA. Chicago Bulls rumors about the new Wade injury aren’t good, as he has been ruled out for the rest of the season. Bulls fans are about to read the headline that was feared when the NBA trade deadline was approaching: “Dwyane Wade out for season with fractured elbow.”

A report by ESPN confirms the Chicago Bulls rumors that had been floating around social media. Wade suffered a sprain and a fractured elbow in a loss against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night (March 15). Not only did the Bulls lose an important game, but the team also lost its starting shooting guard. Wade would only play 22 minutes in the game, scoring eight points and dishing out four assists before the injury.

With the loss, the updated NBA playoff standings have the Bulls all the way down at 10th place in the Eastern Conference. Losing Wade could eliminate any shot that the team might have had at catching the Milwaukee Bucks or Detroit Pistons for one of the final two playoff spots. At 32-36 it’s going to be tough, but the team has enough veterans that they won’t simply throw in the towel after hearing this latest Dwyane Wade injury update.

There are still 16 games left in the regular season for the Bulls, with the team getting a night off before traveling to play the Washington Wizards on Friday night (March 17). There are a number of very winnable games on the Bulls’ schedule as well, including important matchups against the Pistons (March 22), Philadelphia 76ers (March 24), and Bucks (March 26). Sweeping those three games might just put the Bulls back in the No. 8 playoff seed.

With Dwyane Wade out for the season, there are some Chicago Bulls rumors hinting that he has played his last game for the franchise. Wade’s contract has a player option worth $23.8 million for the 2017-18 NBA season, but he could opt out to explore his options in free agency. It would be difficult for him to find a better single-season salary with another team, but this might be an opportunity for him to chase another ring. If Wade doesn’t feel the Bulls will contend next year, he may not want to waste one of his final seasons in Chicago.

In 57 games for the Bulls this season, Wade averaged 30.2 minutes a night. His numbers were pretty good for a 35-year-old shooting guard, as Wade averaged 18.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. His field goal percentage was down to just 43.4, but it all suggests that he might still have another season or two left in the tank. As he goes through his latest injury rehab, those are the type of internal questions he will have to ask himself.

There are already some NBA rumors about Dwyane Wade retiring at the end of the 2017 NBA Playoffs. That wouldn’t be too surprising, as he is getting close to that age where most superstar players decide to hang up their sneakers. His next stop would then be the Basketball Hall of Fame, likely as a first-ballot inductee. Is Wade really ready to walk away from the

Is Wade really ready to walk away from the game, though? Or would he prefer to hang on for another season to play with one of his friends? That could include LeBron James with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Chris Paul with the LA Clippers, or Carmelo Anthony with the New York Knicks.

Fantasy basketball owners who had held on to Wade are going to take the hardest hit, as his injury is taking place during most head-to-head league playoffs. He is now droppable in all non-keeper leagues, as there is zero chance he will play in another game during the 2016-17 NBA season. There are some Chicago Bulls rumors suggesting he could return if the team made it deep into the postseason, but it is more likely that Dwyane Wade won’t be on a basketball court again until the next NBA preseason.

[Featured Image by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images]