The NBA Draft has had surprises each and every single year since its beginning. This year's draft is one that has had major shakeups that will definitely make an interesting season for the viewers to watch.
There are a lot of skilled and talented rookies this year, however, two major players have moved teams and shocked the world. One, Dwayne Wade has been a key player since his rookie year in 2003. During his tenure in the NBA, he has always played for the Miami Heat under President Pat Riley, however, this will not be the case for the upcoming season.
Wade has signed a two-year deal with the Chicago Bulls for 47.5 million dollars. This could be noted as something like a trip home for Wade, seeing that he is from Chicago.
"To go home and play with Chicago is something I've always dreamed of since I've been a little bitty kid," Wade told reporters in Miami. "It's cool to be able to make those kind of choices. You see KD make a choice for me. We've seen LeBron make choices for himself. You get killed for it, but at the end of the day, if you love the guy, the individual, then you're happy that they're able to make that choice and that they seem happy with the choice that they are making."
Wade claims that he felt "unwanted and underappreciated" by Pat Riley. Despite the fact that he is leaving the Heat after 13 years, he claims to still love Riley. Wade says that he realizes that this is a business and that Pat Riley did what he ultimately had to do.
"You love each other, but the business side comes out, and you have to deal with it," Wade told ESPN.
The Heat offered Wade 40 million for 2 years, but The Bulls offered a little over 47 million with a deal that includes the option to enter a free agency again for the summer of 2017.
“I don’t want to be on the market at all,” Wade told reporters.
The next player that almost broke the Internet in the 2016 Draft was, none other than, Kevin Durant. Unlike Wade, Durant has played for 2 other teams before his major trade to the Golden State Warriors.
This trade has caused a lot of fans to join the bandwagon. Durant claims that going to the Warriors is a very good decision for him.
"The primary mandate I had for myself in making this decision was to have it based on the potential for my growth as a player -- as that has always steered me in the right direction," Durant wrote. "But I am also at a point in my life where it is of equal importance to find an opportunity that encourages my evolution as a man: moving out of my comfort zone to a new city and community which offers the greatest potential for my contribution and personal growth.
As of now, Durant's contract is only for one year. This means that if the Warriors would like for Durant to return, they would have to sign him again during summer 2017. The NBA noted that they will benefit from the smaller salary cap, however, Durant will not.
With just these two drafts alone, The NBA's 2016-2017 season will surely be one that could the be the most watched in years.
