<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">With the draft selections of Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon and Luol Deng, general manager John Paxson, by most accounts, has proved himself to be a shrewd talent evaluator. Giving his instincts even more legitimacy is the one who got away?Miami's Dwyane Wade. Paxson nearly pulled the trigger on a June 2003 draft-day trade with Toronto that would have enabled the Bulls to move from the seventh to the fourth pick. Wade was Paxson's target. Most people predicted that Wade, a 6-foot-4-inch guard from Richards High School and Marquette University, would be a solid pro. But few predicted the elite status Wade already has reached. Paxson ended up drafting Hinrich, a solid acquisition. But whenever the Bulls face Miami, as they will Saturday, it's hard not to envision Wade, who is averaging 23.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game, playing for his hometown team. Paxson didn't want to part with Donyell Marshall at the time, killing the deal.</div> Source
