NBA trade rumors: 5 trade destinations for Jimmy Butler

While Bulls seems unfortunately on the fall, the Western Conference’s Minnesota Timberwolves are very much on the rise. With a dynamic young corps of Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins, Zach LaVine, and Ricky Rubio, as well as former Bulls head coach Thibodeau now running the show, there is a growing belief that the Timberwolves can end their league-worst 12-year NBA Playoffs drought in 2017.

Though Minnesota still might be a year away from making serious headway in the brutal Western Conference, one way the Timberwolves could expedite the process of being a contender possibly a year early is to make a trade with the Bulls for Butler.

The Minnesota front office is already dangling the No. 5 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft in potential trade discussions with Chicago for Butler. While that is Minnesota’s only pick in the NBA Draft this summer, sending at least LaVine Chicago’s way in the deal might cause the Bulls to pull the trigger.

If LaVine and the No. 5 overall pick isn’t enough, then maybe Chicago commands Wiggins for Butler straight up. Obviously the Timberwolves’ organization would hate to trade away Wiggins, but a big three of Towns, Butler, and LaVine might be enough to usher in the best era of Timberwolves basketball to date.

Butler has already won at a high level on many Thibodeau teams, so his veteran presence might be enough to make Minnesota playoff caliber. His star play would make Minnesota a dark horse contender for a deep Western Conference Playoff run almost immediately.

Next: 2. Denver Nuggets.