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Chicago Bulls rumors: Bulls prefer to extend Jimmy Butler

By Andrew Melnick

Apr 11, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler (21) with the ball and Detroit Pistons head coach John Loyer in the background during the first quarter at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 11, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler (21) with the ball and Detroit Pistons head coach John Loyer in the background during the first quarter at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports /
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Miami Heat forward Luol Deng once seemed to be Chicago Bulls’ head coach Tom Thibodeau’s favorite player. After the Bulls dealt Deng  to the Cleveland Cavaliers (and he has since since with the Heat), it looks like swingman Jimmy Butler is Thibodeau’s new favorite player.

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The Bulls are now internally debating what kind of contract to give Butler and they have until October 31 to extend him. If they don’t work out a deal by then, he will become a restricted free agent in 2015.

According to K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune, the Bulls prefer to extend Butler rather than letting him hit restricted free agency next year.

It makes sense the Bulls would want to extend him – it only takes one team to sign him to a four-year max deal in free agency, forcing the Bulls to pay more money than they’d like pay in an extension.

Butler averaged 13.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.9 steals per game while shooting 39.7% from the field, 28.3% from beyond the arc and 76.9% from the free throw line last season. The 30th-overall selection in the first round of the 2011 NBA Draft has averaged 8.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 42.5% from the floor, 30.9% from three and 78.2% from the charity stripe in his three-year NBA career.

Be sure to check FanSided’s official NBA page to keep up to date on the latest news and rumors from around the league as we get you ready for the start of the 2014-2015 season.

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