Jimmy Butler’s days in Chicago could be numbered. With the Draft Lottery over the pick order locked in, what teams should be calling the Bulls to land Jimmy Butler this offseason?
The Chicago Bulls are stuck in NBA purgatory. You can make the argument that being the No. 8 seed in any conference is the worst place for a team to be. In this instance, the Bulls missed out on the opportunity of a top draft pick and clearly don’t have the personnel for a championship contender.
The dysfunctional Bulls have to consider starting over and dealing their best player, Jimmy Butler. The ceiling of a trio including Jimmy Butler, Rajon Rondo, and Dwyane Wade isn’t moving the needle in the East. After the conclusion of the NBA Draft Lottery, Chicago can crystalize what a potential Butler trade could look like. What five lottery teams should be calling the Bulls in an attempt to pry Butler from Chicago?
5. Boston Celtics
Why are the Celtics fifth on the list? Boston’s first priority this offseason should be convincing Gordon Hayward to sign with them in free agency. Why would Boston give up valuable assets when they could get Hayward for nothing more than cap space? Keeping all of those assets would allow the Celtics to retain most of the dominant bench that has been crucial in their playoff run. If Hayward decides to pass on the Celtics, Butler should only then be a contingency plan.
For as good as Jimmy Butler is, the Celtics would be crazy to give up the first overall pick for him. LeBron James isn’t going anywhere. The Celtics are almost better off waiting out his dominance so loading up on young talent only makes sense. Markelle Fultz is the only sure thing in the draft and can’t pass on adding an 18-year with All-Star potential. Think about it, even if you insert Jimmy Butler on the Celtics roster for nothing, they still aren’t better than the Cavs. Now when Markelle Fultz, Jaylen Brown, and others develop, that is their best chance to dethrone Cleveland in the Eastern Conference.
Now if Danny Ainge can fleece the Bulls for 20 cents on the dollar, that’s a different story. Could a package of Jae Crowder, Terry Rozier, and a future protected pick be enough? Probably not but Danny Ainge is known for ripping teams off, which is how they ended up with the No. 1 pick in the first place.
4. Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks need a major reboot. With Dirk Nowitzki playing on his last legs, Dallas could be in a position to make a win-now move. A major problem in the Mavericks plan to add Jimmy Butler is the lack of assets they have.
The potential trade package may have to include Harrison Barnes or a Nerlens Noel sign-and-trade deal. Both Barnes and Noel are under 25 and have plenty of room to improve. Then again, dealing either of them in addition to other pieces probably doesn’t make the Mavericks a whole lot better. Elite free agents also have a track record of passing on signing with Dallas in recent years.
Dallas holds the No. 9 pick in the draft but in a deep draft that’s still worth a whole lot. Malik Monk, Dennis Smith, Lauri Markkanen, and other elite prospects could be available athere. Adding the 2017 pick and other future first round picks could possibly get the Bulls to consider a potential offer. It still likely isn’t enough to land Jimmy Butler but the Mavs should still try anyway.
3. Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers may want to seriously consider making a move for Jimmy Butler. The 76ers in recent years have been known for tanking and giving up on seasons in order to land top draft picks. That tanking attitude will likely turn off potential free agents looking for new homes. If Philadelphia can make a move for Butler, it could signal to free agents that they are in win-mode.
Philly needs guards. The Ben Simmons, Dario Saric, and Joe Embiid core is something to get really excited about for the future. All three of those guys are also at least 6-foot-10. A veteran backcourt led by Jimmy Butler could make the 76ers legit contenders in the East.
A potential trade package could include Jahlil Okafor, the third pick in the 2017 draft, and the next year’s Laker pick. Maybe adding a T.J. McConnell to the deal ultimately gets it done. Okafor, a Chicago native, could use a change of scenery away from Philly. Those draft picks could also help Chicago hit the reset button.
The Butler addition could convince a veteran point guard to sign with Philadelphia. Maybe former Villanova hoops star Kyle Lowry would be tempted to return to Philly. The 76ers will have max cap space to land a point guard of their choosing. A Kyle Lowry, Jimmy Butler, Ben Simmons, Dario Saric, and Joel Embiid starting five is pretty scary to think about.
2. Minnesota Timberwolves
It’s hard to ignore the Timberwolves young core. Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns are superstars in the making. It’s only a matter of time until Minnesota is considered among the NBA elite. Adding Jimmy Butler could just accelerate the process for the Timberwolves.
The Wolves are coached by Tom Thibodeau who coached Butler for the first four years of his career. Thibodeau is the perfect man to coach him as he knows exactly what kind of player Butler is. By the way, Thibodeau is the man who can pull the trigger on the deal as he has control over the roster as the President of Basketball Operations.
The good news is Minnesota actually has the pieces to pull off a deal. Some combination of Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn, Ricky Rubio, Tyus Jones, Shabazz Muhammad, and the No. 7 overall pick ought to work. It’s going to be tough for Chicago to say no to some of those pieces, especially LaVine who pops off the screen with his leaping ability. Butler would be the perfect piece to elevate Minnesota.
1. Los Angeles Lakers
Paul George seems destined to become a Laker when he becomes a free agent following the 2017-18 season. He seems interesting in playing in L.A. Convincing him that the Lakers are a contender a year from now is the challenge.
If Los Angeles isn’t at least moving in the right direction, George may pass on the Lakers. Trading for Jimmy Butler gives them a superstar that can pair with Paul George a year from now. Think about it, the Butler-George duo brings a lot of excitement to L.A. that has vanished since Kobe retired. The Lakers all of the sudden are a premier free agent destination if they land Butler.
As much as the Lakers are enamored with Lonzo Ball, he is far from a sure thing. There is also the inevitable problem of his father. Maybe taking Ball second in the draft works out well for the Lakers but it also has some serious bust potential.
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A trade package of the second overall pick and D’Angelo Russell may be enough. Maybe swapping out the second pick for Brandon Ingram works too. If there is one thing that’s certain, it’s time for the Lakers to put this rebuild in gear.