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NBA Draft 2017: 5 players who could be traded on draft night

By Brandon Jefferson

Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; A general view of a video board displaying all thirty draft picks in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; A general view of a video board displaying all thirty draft picks in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jimmy Butler
Apr 12, 2017; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Jimmy Butler (21) reacts during the first half against the Brooklyn Nets at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Jimmy Butler

The Chicago Bulls front office is one of the hardest to get a grip on. Gar Forman and John Paxson (aka GarPax) have been untouchable during their 13-years together in the Bulls’ upper management. They have made three great moves over that time, hiring Tom Thibodeau (who they turned around and fired for no reason), drafting Derrick Rose (who couldn’t stay healthy), and drafting Jimmy Butler (who transformed from a take-a-chance pick at No. 30 overall to franchise cornerstone).

Besides that, GarPax has made a lot of dumbfounding and head scratching choices. They have been unable to put the proper pieces around Butler to get the Bulls back to their glory days of yesteryear.

Last offseason, they decided that surrounding Butler on the perimeter with Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade was a good idea — everyone laughed at them. After watching that team drag itself through locker room tension and social media beef to take a 2-0 lead on Boston in the opening round GarPax got the bright idea that they should keep the band together for another run.

Rondo’s injury lead to the Celtics winning the next four games and ending Chicago’s season. All the talk has been that they want Rondo back. Wade has 20 million reasons why he will be in a Bulls uniform for Year 2. However, if this franchise wants more than bottom seeds in the Eastern Conference playoffs, they need to make a change.

Butler is wasting away his best years and in the era of superteams he is a piece — under contract for two more years at a budget price for a star — that could help a team conquer Golden State.

He won’t come cheap though, so any team that is looking to add a two-way talent of Butler’s ilk is going to need to make sure that they are willing to give up the necessary pieces. Moving Butler to a contender could have a profound effect on what teams are left standing in late May next year.

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