Maybe Bulls obtaining Wade isn't such a pipedream

Keeping track of the wild world of NBA free agency has been difficult the past two days. But one thing is abundantly clear - whatever is going on, the Bulls are right in the middle of it.

Friday was expected to be a relatively quiet day for Bulls management, featuring meetings with Chris Bosh, Carlos Boozer and David Lee. All that was merely a prelude to Saturday's main event in Cleveland, a sit-down with two-time MVP LeBron James.

But things took an unexpected twist when Miami's Dwyane Wade met with the Bulls for a second consecutive day.

"It continues to get very interesting," Wade told reporters on his way to a waiting car.

When the two sides met for two hours Thursday at the United Center, no one could be sure if it was even a serious pursuit. For months, Wade has promised his preference was to stay in Miami, so he had a vested interest in preventing the Bulls from trying to land James and Bosh.

Returning for a second visit changed the story, but it wasn't clear how. With the principles locked up in meetings or hopping a private jet to Cleveland, it was tough to know for sure.

Did the Bulls request a second meeting, hoping to sell Wade on the idea of playing with James in Chicago? The idea seemed almost too far-fetched to be real, having James, Wade and Derrick Rose in the same starting lineup.

Or maybe Wade pushed for the meeting after realizing the reality of his situation? Miami currently has just two players under contract, Michael Beasley and Mario Chalmers.

Wade could try to convince Bosh to play in Miami with a lineup that is mostly hypothetical. Or they could join the Bulls together and play with Rose, Luol Deng and Joakim Noah.

Either way, interest from Wade isn't a bad situation for the Bulls. If James sees a chance Wade will take the Bulls' roster slot that's being offered, the reigning MVP might want to step up first. James' chances of winning an NBA title in Cleveland won't improve if the Bulls sign Wade and Bosh.

Wade, who grew up in southwest suburban Robbins, addressed the potential pairing with James.

"We're both going to make our own decisions," he said. "Of course, we're real good friends. We're on two different pages right now. He's in Cleveland, I'm in Chicago. We're doing two different things.

"It's going to take the weekend for everyone to think about what they're going to do. This is not an easy decision to make. Everyone thinks it is."

There were reports that Bosh joined Wade for part of the Bulls meeting, which was held in the Chicago office of Henry Thomas, the agent for both players. Bosh also met with the Bulls solo, before Gar Forman, John Paxson, coach Tom Thibodeau and Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf flew to Cleveland late Friday night.

All along, the Bulls' goal was to get a commitment from someone willing to move to Chicago and join James, whether it's Wade, Bosh, Boozer or another player.

Heat president Pat Riley has been trying to convince James and Bosh to join forces with Wade in Miami, but Wade and James both signing with the Bulls didn't appear to be an option until Friday.

In addition to meeting with players, the Bulls were working the phones trying to explore every possible avenue. If Bosh wants to arrive in Chicago through a sign-and-trade that would net more money, the Bulls are willing to send Taj Gibson, James Johnson and future draft picks to Toronto.

Yahoo.com suggested the Bulls were trying to find a landing place for Deng in the event they did succeed in signing both James and Wade. One rumor was to Portland for center Joel Przybilla and guard Jerryd Bayless. Another was Deng to Utah for center Mehmet Okur.

When it comes to the front-line NBA free agents, no one is likely to move until James makes a decision. He met with Miami and the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday. The Bulls succeeded in scheduling the last of James' six meetings. Their presentation is set to begin around 1:30 p.m. Central time, after James sits down with the Cavaliers.

Both Wade and Bosh also met with New York on Friday. It wasn't clear whether the Bulls found time to get together with Lee, although they did talk to Boozer at some point.

In other news, power forward Hakim Warrick, who finished last season with the Bulls, agreed to a four-year deal with Phoenix Suns forward Amare Stoudemire appears likely to join the Knicks.

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<li><a href="/story/?id=391809">James deal could come down to Reinsdorf, Gilbert<span class="date"> [7/3/10]</span></a></li>

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