Dwyane Wade Says He'll Give Support, Advice to Ex-Bulls Teammates During Season

Former Chicago Bulls guard and current Cleveland Cavalier Dwyane Wade told K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune that he would reach out to some of his former teammates this season to offer "support and advice."

Despite rocky moments during the 2016-17 season, many of those teammates spoke highly of Wade on Monday in advance of Tuesday night's preseason game between the Bulls and Cavs.

"We talked. Everything is cool," Bulls forward Bobby Portis told Johnson. "It wasn't like we didn't like him or anything. It was just we had our troubles during the season."

Any issues last season between Wade and the younger players on the team came to a head last January, when he and Jimmy Butler blasted their teammates for a lack of effort and commitment following a loss to the Atlanta Hawks.

Rajon Rondo responded with a pointed Instagram post suggesting that his former teammates with the Boston Celtics, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, were better leaders than Wade and Butler: 

As Johnson noted, however, the team held a meeting to iron over those issues. Wade, Butler and Rondo were fined for their public comments, and Wade and Butler were even shortly benched in the team's next game.

And it would appear to all be water under the bridge now.

"We never had any conflict with Dwyane. Just after that game, they had some tough declarations, Jimmy and D-Wade. But that was all," Nikola Mirotic said, per Johnson. "It's a part of the game. They were hot. There was disappointment about the game. We all understand. But inside the locker room and with the practices, they've been terrific with us. So there's nothing to complain."

The Bulls will are now without those veterans. Wade agreed to a buyout and signed with the Cavaliers. Butler was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Rondo signed with the New Orleans Pelicans. Chicago will be a far younger team this season, but given the comments of Wade and some of his former teammates, it doesn't appear the Bulls are adverse to seeking out veteran counsel.