NBA Rumors: Jimmy Butler wants to sign with Lakers
By Josh Hill
The Los Angeles Lakers aren’t the most appealing franchise to play for, but Jimmy Butler still wants to play for them regardless.
Next: Moves Cavaliers Must Make So LeBron Re-Signs
When the Los Angeles Lakers were tanking their way to the No. 2 overall pick in the NBA Draft, it was very clear that they wouldn’t be a free agent destination for a while. Kobe is retiring and useless to the franchise, Byron Scott isn’t the most exciting head coach ever and the team is years away from contending for a title again.
That hasn’t stopped a few soon-to-be free agents from expressing interest in heading West for Los Angeles. Chief among these free agents who are setting their eyes on L.A. is All-Star forward Jimmy Butler.
According to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News, Butler wants to sign with the Lakers over the Bulls on a one-year contract.
There’s one massive problem about this whole deal — the Lakers can’t sign Butler to a one-year offer sheet.
According to the CBA, restricted free agents must be offered no less than two year contracts on an offer sheet. There’s also the matter of the Bulls having the ability to match any and all deals that Butler gets.
If Los Angeles offered him a two year contract, Chicago would jump at the chance to match that and block his exit.
Still, the fact that Butler has a preference to play in Los Angeles and not for the team he currently plays for speaks volumes about his interest in re-signing with the Bulls. Butler won’t be under restricted control forever, and it’s starting to sound like when he’s set free he’s going to bolt from Chicago.
Of course, this might have a lot to do with the firing of Tom Thibodeau and the uncertainty about the future of the team. What this could also be about is the supposed rift that has grown between Butler and Derrick Rose. Hearing your young star say he wants to play for someone else seems to suggest that the rift the Bulls were downplaying is a lot more serious than anyone thought it was.