Last summer, when Dwyane Wade made a free-agency splash by signing with the Chicago Bulls, he was filled with excitement over the chance to play in his hometown.

Well, the three-time NBA champion didn't expect his first season with the Bulls to end in mid-March.

Yet that's the exact crushing news that the 14-year veteran received today when it was announced that an MRI revealed that Wade suffered a season-ending sprain and small fracture in his right elbow last night during the Bulls' home game against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Wade suffered the injury when going up for a rebound attempt and getting tangled up with Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph.

Wade might have feared the worst last night after being taken out the game, telling reporters that he "heard a couple of pops" in his right elbow following the Bulls' loss last night.

Not only is the news devastating for Wade himself, but it's also a solid blow to the Bulls' playoff chances. At 32-36 following Wednesday night's loss, the Bulls are currently 10th in the Eastern Conference looking into the playoff picture. Without Wade, their chances of punching a ticket into the postseason just got that much worse.

Wade, 35, still has one more season on the two-year, $47.5 million deal that he inked with the Bulls last July.

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