Dwyane Wade and LeBron James preparing for World Series wager

The negotiation is still pending.

After all, city pride doesn’t come cheap.

In one corner, the Chicago-born Dwyane Wade picking up the Cubs flag and waving it proudly. In the other? Wade’s former teammate from their Miami days, turned icon now that he is back in his hometown of Cleveland in LeBron James.

And of course James is all about the Cleveland Indians, as the two cities are headed for an epic showdown in the World Series beginning on Tuesday.

“No, not yet,’’ Wade said on Sunday, when asked about the details of the upcoming wager between himself and James. “We’ll get there though.’’

Not the only details Wade needs to work out leading up to the Fall Classic. There’s also trying to land some tickets for when the series comes back to Wrigley Field, as Wade is about to find out exactly what kind of pull he has in his homecoming season.

“I’m trying to work my angles,’’ Wade said.

That included even volunteering himself, Jimmy Butler and Rajon Rondo to handle the seventh inning stretch duties that Scottie Pippen “butchered’’ the other night.

Either way, Wade said he picked a good time to join the Bulls as a free agent.

“Obviously it’s huge for the city,’’ Wade said of the Cubs. “It’s been a long, long, long time, and just obviously I felt the buzz when I got back to the city, and everyone thinking that this was the Cubs’ year. And they’ve been obviously playing amazing, so it’s great.

“Cleveland has obviously had droughts in sports and then [James] went back there to change that drought from the standpoint of basketball, and they accomplished that [with the Cavaliers title run].

“They’re two franchises that have been struggling to get to the World Series and this is what sports is about. It’s cool.’’

Wade wasn’t the only member of the Bulls franchise excited, either. Not exactly the kind of news board chairman Jerry Reinsdorf – who also holds the same position for the cross-town rival White Sox – needs to hear.

“All those Iowa guys, we’re Cubs fans,’’ coach Fred Hoiberg said.

Hoiberg was also hoping that it would be yet another example for his players to follow.

“It’s been fun, it’s been fun to watch,’’ Hoiberg said of the Cubs run. “I’ve talked about how together that team is, how much of confidence, how much of a swagger they play with. It’s just a fun team that looks like it has unbelievable chemistry. They all get along. They play every game. It’s a team that I think you can learn from with what they’re doing and the backing that they have from the city.

“Cubs fans, from the time they’re born like myself, they’re just, it’s been awesome to watch and see the celebration after the game. Four more to go. I like their chances just because of how confident they’re playing.”

Wade’s betting on that. Or at least he’s about to.

“That team has figured out a way, even during this series when it looked like their back was against the wall they came out swinging,’’ Wade said. “They stuck together. It looks like they have a great time together. And that’s what it’s all about. You have to support each other. No matter who’s on the basketball court for us, who’s on the bench, it’s all about supporting each other and really caring about the other guy. When you start caring about the other person, you don’t want to let that other person down on the court. You become a better team because of that.’’