5 reasons why the Bulls need to trade Jimmy Butler right now

1. The Celtics offer the Bulls the best chance at a fair return

The Celtics are in a rare position in today’s NBA. They are simultaneously contending for the top spot in the Eastern Conference and rebuilding with a pile of young assets and future assets that GM Danny Ainge has accumulated. A good team seeking a star usually will have to decimate their team to make it happen, but Boston could acquire Jimmy Butler without doing so. For the cost of the coming Brooklyn pick, Jae Crowder, and Terry Rozier, both teams could benefit moving forward.

NBA teams value players on good contracts and future draft picks now more than ever. Waiting on a Godfather offer of young studs and a cabinet full of picks for Butler is a deal that will probably never materialize. The Denver Nuggets could be in a position to make a worthwhile offer for Butler in the future, but there is no guarantee that they choose to do that. It is unclear which ascending teams have the assets and desire to trade for Butler in the near future.

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If the Bulls are to move Jimmy Butler, it will be to begin a rebuilding process. They will look for the combination of young players and future picks in return for their franchise player that helps their long term health the most. With no certain young building pieces on their current roster, Chicago is in position to take the best players available to them, regardless of position. The Celtics can offer the Bulls the best jump on their rebuilding process, barring something extremely unexpected. If the Celtics move on past Butler and move their assets elsewhere, a serious market for Jimmy Butler may never materialize again.