Carmelo Anthony on Dwyane Wade’s Chicago move: ‘I was shocked’

Carmelo Anthony discussed Dwyane Wade’s surprising move from the Heat to the Bulls.

Even Carmelo Anthony, one of Dwyane Wade’s closest friends, was pretty surprised about what happened this off-season.

Wade’s departure from the Miami Heat to the Chicago Bulls was one of the biggest moves of the summer, as the future Hall of Fame shooting guard changed area codes and signed a two-year deal at age 34. Wade won three titles with the Heat, where he’d spent his entire career to date.

“I was shocked,” Anthony told reporters at Team USA practice on Thursday. “I was shocked more from a standpoint it was just hard to see. It’s hard to see some players in different uniforms and he’s one of those guys who I never thought I would see in a different uniform other than Miami. But it happened, and I got a chance to talk to him and sit down with him and really dig deep about his feelings and what happened. He’s at peace now. And when he’s at peace, I’m at peace with it.”

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Anthony was courted by the Bulls two years ago but chose to stay with the Knicks. He also discussed how free agency can weigh on players.

“I don’t think the masses really understand how difficult those decisions are,” Anthony said. “And what goes into those decisions. And as athletes what’s going through our mind during those decisions. A lot of people think we can just wake up and we can just make those decisions. It’s not that easy.”

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He also speculated that the Knicks and Bulls could meet on opening night or on Christmas, the league’s showcase day, after longtime Bulls Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah moved to New York this off-season.