Bulls hope to contend

The big news of the NBA summer was Kevin Durant leaving Oklahoma City for Golden State, thus, in theory, improving a team that set a record for the most wins in the history of the league.

And then there was the shock, Dwyane Wade, Miami legend and, in effect, logo and franchise face and leader, leaving the Miami Heat to sign a two-year contract with the Chicago Bulls.

Durant’s Decision may have the greatest impact, but Wade’s was the biggest surprise in also turning the Bulls into perhaps the greatest curiosity and mystery of the coming NBA season.

It was really no surprise the Bulls broke up the championship team that couldn’t.

After all, they had just completed their second straight season leading the league in wins with a top coach in Tom Thibodeau, a league MVP in Derrick Rose and a well-rounded team that had routed the inaugural Miami Big Three that season.

So the Bulls traded Rose, who had one year left on his contract.

Realizing they would need a center with Noah a free agent, the Bulls acquired Robin Lopez from New York in the Rose deal.

The Bulls had gone through a dance of this sort with Wade in the 2010 free agency and felt, in the end, it was just a ploy for leverage.

See who might emerge among the young players to support Butler while guided by championship players in Wade and Rondo with options open for top free agents.

After that ’70s team’s conference finals season, it was decimated by injuries and broken up after winning 24 games.