Ranking the best trades the Boston Celtics ‘almost’ made under Danny Ainge

4. Jimmy Butler

Before the Chicago Bulls shipped Jimmy Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves on the night of the 2017 NBA draft, the Celtics had come calling multiple times.

Ahead of the 2016 draft, the Bulls “held advanced discussions with the Celtics centered on Butler and the No. 3 pick, with whom they would’ve selected Providence guard Kris Dunn,” according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune.

“Several proposals were exchanged, including one with Jae Crowder and the Celtics’ No. 3 and No. 16 picks,” Johnson added. “But the Celtics have a reputation of trying to win trades and kept changing terms, none of which ultimately met the Bulls’ liking.”

When the Bulls began shopping Butler the following year, the Celtics sniffed around again.

“The Bulls were rebuffed on an offer to the Celtics for the third pick straight-up,” Vincent Goodwill reported for NBC Sports Chicago at the time. However, he noted the Celtics “have always been fond of Butler and have the assets the Bulls in theory would be attracted to in terms of multiple draft picks and affordable contracts on the current roster.”

The Timberwolves wound up sending Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and the No. 7 overall pick (Lauri Markkanen) to the Bulls in exchange for Butler. The Celtics bowed out in part because they “had some concerns over how [free-agent signee Gordon] Hayward and Butler would mesh, both on the court and as personalities,” according to ESPN’s Zach Lowe.

The Celtics did acquire Kyrie Irving from the Cleveland Cavaliers later that summer, though.