Dwyane Wade Comments on Concerns Amid Disappointing Season for Bulls

After beginning the season 10-6, the Chicago Bulls (22-23) have hovered around .500 for much of December and January, which has led to a level of consternation from star Dwyane Wade. 

"I'm 35. I do get concerned," he said Tuesday, according to ESPN.com's Nick Friedell.

Wade also explained how he's worried Chicago has already peaked and won't improve in the second half:

"

I don't know if it's that simple, if it's that black and white. I think you see certain teams throughout a year can get better and you see certain teams—you will see it. You can tell that it's just who they are. I've been on both. I've been on teams that it's just who you are and you deal with it for the whole year. And some teams you get better as the years go on. Right now we are who we are.

"

Wade is signed for next year but can opt out of the deal this summer.

Last week, he said he had reservations about staying with the Bulls in the event they pull the trigger on a full rebuild, per Friedell: "I would be a liar to say that I want to play on a team with all 21-year-olds. You know what I mean? And be a part of the future building. I would be a fool to say that. But you also want to be in the best position for what you think is for you at that time, too."

It's easy to see why Wade signed with Chicago in the first place. It represented a homecoming, and ESPN.com's Ramona Shelburne, Marc Stein and Brian Windhorst reported in July the Miami Heat had offered him $7 million less over two years than the Bulls did.

At the same time, though, Wade joined a team that was clearly on the way down. The process began with the firing of Tom Thibodeau in May 2015, and the offseason departures of Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah ushered in a new era of Bulls basketball.

Beyond Jimmy Butler, the Bulls have few pieces that point to them being title contenders in the next few years, and they're only a half-game ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference.

Bleacher Report's Ric Bucher reported Jan. 5 the Bulls have engaged teams in a potential Butler trade, which would push title contention even further down the road:

Wade's opting out of his deal wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing for all parties involved.

The front office would be under less pressure to win now and thus could build for the long term, and his departure would free up $23.8 million in cap space, per Spotrac. Wade, meanwhile, would have a better opportunity to win a fourth NBA title before he retires.