When Dwyane Wade decided to join his hometown Chicago Bulls last July, he signed a two-year, $47 million deal with a player option for next season. He was not anticipating the Bulls being 22-23 in late January, though, and acknowledged Tuesday that the team's performance could influence him when it's time to figure out whether to pick up the option, via ESPN's Nick Friedell:

"I wouldn't lie to you and say no," Wade said. "Of course. I can't play this game forever. I just turned 35 and I have a number in my head how long I want to play. At the end of the day you want to be in a situation where it's a competitor situation, whatever the case may be. It's tough in this league as well because a lot of that also depends on how much money you're willing to make. It depends on what city you're willing to be in. So it's a lot of variables to that, but no question about it, what happens throughout this year, as I go into my summer, I'll definitely take a look at it. I take my career seriously and where I am and where I want to be. And I will do the same thing this summer."

Wade said earlier in the season that he wasn't "ring chasing" at this point in his career. On Tuesday, he clarified those remarks, admitting that while there wasn't a particular number he had in mind as far as a discounted number he would go down to in free agency, the number that the Cleveland Cavaliers were able to offer last summer was too low.

"The reason I said that, [the media] asked me a question about going to the Cavs this summer and I said, "Well, I think they had like $2.4 million [to offer]," Wade said. "It ain't that bad. It ain't that bad for me now. I do got three rings ... that's what I meant. In the sense, when you're a veteran guy, you're older, some guys have taken those sacrifices -- David West last year, he gave all his money back to go to San Antonio. It's something that he wanted to do, he wanted to put himself in position to try to win a ring. I have three, I've been in five Finals, so I don't need to do that. But it is a time where you can compete too. It's just a fine line between what you really want. That's not what I want."

Dwyane Wade in Chicago
Dwyane Wade is a Bull, at least for now. USATSI

Wade said that he was concerned that the Bulls will remain a .500 team for the rest of the year, adding that he doesn't know why they've been inconsistent this season. He likes how star swingman Jimmy Butler has grown and is "happy with the organization" despite the record. In the summer, though, he'll have to weigh his desire to stay with the team and his belief in the front office to reshape the roster.

At this stage of Wade's career, he'd ideally be competing for a championship, but maybe he'd settle for being a veteran leader on a pretty good playoff team. The problem: Chicago isn't even that right now, and there's no guarantee it will make the necessary improvements to be more competitive next season.

It's difficult to imagine Wade jumping ship after just one year with the Bulls, especially after spending 13 years with the franchise that drafted him. Few people thought he'd leave the Miami Heat, though, so the possibility shouldn't be dismissed -- especially with Wade declining to say that he's definitely sticking around.