Bulls, Cavaliers Set to Play Preseason NBA Game Friday

By ESPN

It would have been hard to imagine back when the Miami Heat were coming off consecutive championships a few seasons ago that LeBron James and Dwyane Wade would both leave the franchise as free agents in short order.

Yet sure enough, James went back to his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014 and Wade joined his hometown Chicago Bulls this summer, shifting the balance of power in the Eastern Conference.

With the Bulls and Cavaliers set to play a preseason game Friday, James confirmed that he hoped Wade would have ended up in Cleveland with him.

"We couldn't afford him," James said. "It's that simple."

Wade signed a two-year deal with Chicago in the offseason worth about $47 million. The Cavs, well above the salary cap with a star-studded core of James, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson all signed to long-term deals, could have offered Wade only the taxpayer midlevel exception, worth about $3.5 million.

Cleveland ended up using the MLE to retain Richard Jefferson.

"Who wouldn't be interested in a Hall of Famer?" Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said, referring to Wade's likely spot in the Hall. "That don't even make sense. Yeah, we wanted him."

James, who has maintained his friendship with Wade since leaving Miami, unsurprisingly backed Wade's decision to join the Bulls after playing the first 13 years of his career with the Heat.

"I support my guys -- you guys know that," James said. "That was a decision that he wanted to make, and I support him."

Wednesday, October 12 Scoreboard

Houston 116, New Orleans 104

San Antonio 95, Orlandao 89

Indianapolis 101, Milwaukee 83

Minnesota 105, Denver 88

Phoenix 111, Utah 110

Thursday, October 13 Schedule (All Times Central)

Philadelphia at Washington, 6 p.m.

Detroit at Altanta, 6:30 p.m.

Boston at Brookklyn, 6:30 p.m.

Memphis at Oklahoma City, 7 p.m.

Toronto at Cleveland, 7 p.m.

Sacramento at Los Angeles Lakers, 9:30 p.m.

Portland at Los Angeles Clipper, 9:30 p.m.

Friday, October 14 Schedule (All Times Central)

Buernos Aires at Toronto, 6 p.m.

Indiana at Orlando, 6 p.m.

Cleveland at Chicago, 7 p.m.

Miami at San Antonio, 7:30 p.m.

Golden State at Denver, 8 p.m.

Dallas at Phoenix, 9 p.m.

Saturday, October 15 Schedule (All Times Central)

Washington at Sacramento, 6 p.m.

Detroit at Philadelphia, 6 p.m.

Boston at New York, 6:30 p.m.

Minnesota at Miami, 6:30 p.m.

Memphis at Houston, 7 p.m.

Chicago at Milwaukee, 7:30 p.m.

Golden State at Los Angeles Lakers, 9 p.m.

Sunday, October 16 Schedule (All Times Central)

Atlanta at Orlando, 5 p.m.

Minnesota at Oklahoma City, 6 p.m.

Denver at Portland, 8 p.m.