The Bulls front office has gone back and forth several times on the idea of committing to a full-scale rebuild. According to multiple sources close to the team, general manager Gar Forman and vice president John Paxson have differing views on the matter.
Forman reportedly put Nikola Mirotic and Rajon Rondo on the trading block in an attempt to bolster the roster for a playoff run in the weak Eastern Conference. Not surprisingly, neither player yielded much interest around the league. Jimmy Butler, on the other hand, now there's a player who can bring the Bulls a huge haul in a major trade to jump-start a rebuild. And the old Bulls Celtics Jimmy Butler trade rumor just came back in a big way.
K.C. Johnson of the
Chicago Tribune cited NBA executives as his sources for
the latest piece of trade gossip: the Bulls and Celtics will likely revisit the Butler trade negotiations that transpired
before last season's deadline and again
on draft night last summer.
"There are rival executives who believe the Bulls and Celtics will rekindle trade talks centered on Jimmy Butler before the Feb. 23 deadline. The teams held serious talks in June, and the Celtics own the same assets — Jae Crowder, Marcus Smart, the Nets' first-round picks in 2017 and 2018 — the teams discussed then." - K.C. Johnson
The Time Is Now
If Forman and Paxson really don't believe in Butler's ability to be the #1 guy on a championship caliber team -
as ESPN's Nick Friedell suggested Monday - then it makes sense for them to trade him while his value is at its peak. That's right now, given his age (27), his current level of play and the incredibly
team-friendly contract he's on for two more seasons.
As Johnson notes above, the Celtics still have the same pieces that the Bulls wanted when the teams repeatedly negotiated terms of a Butler trade last year. But the situation for each team has changed. Sources close to the Celtics' camp believed that general manager and president Danny Ainge wasn't willing to part with Jae Crowder, who happens to be Jimmy's former Marquette teammate. That could still be true, but it's also possible that Butler's increased star power alters the package Boston offers.
Ainge might be willing to pay a higher price for Butler now, especially if he sees the newly-minted All Star starter as the missing piece for his team to challenge Cleveland for the East's throne. Isaiah Thomas is playing at an MVP level, and Al Horford's offseason arrival gave the Celtics a much-needed frontcourt presence. With the Cavaliers' recent slide, the Celtics are just 2.5 games back of the #1 seed. Butler could help Thomas and Horford complete that takeover.
Youth, Youth, Youth
The bigger question is: do the Bulls want
different pieces this time around? If trading Butler means dedication to a rebuild, Forman and Paxson will want an abundance of youth. To that end, they'd certainly demand
at least one of the Celtics' many first round picks. They own Brooklyn's first round picks in 2017 and 2018. The Nets (9-39) appear to have the best chance at the #1 overall pick this summer. That could allow the Bulls to nab Washington's Markelle Fultz or UCLA's Lonzo Ball as the centerpiece of a new generation.
Along those lines, the Bulls probably won't demand a starting-caliber player and an established rotation player like they did for Butler last year. If the focus is on "younger and more athletic", GarPax likely would target point guards Marcus Smart (22), Terry Rozier (22) or Demetrius Jackson (22). They might also be interested in rookie wing player Jaylen Brown (20), whom the Celtics took with the #3 pick in 2016. Conversely, the Bulls brass could deem Avery Bradley (26) and Crowder (26) to be too old for their new direction.
Whatever the combination of draft picks and young players, Bulls fans can be sure that GarPax won't shake on it unless they feel 200% confident that they're getting equal or greater value in return for Butler.
They might not see him as a leader of champions, but the rest of the league is starting to see that potential and GarPax know it.
Author's Reaction
I don't think the Bulls should trade Jimmy. As previously stated, he's an incredible value who can still get even better. His work ethic is proven, and the improvement in his game from season to season is insanely high. The Bulls will pay him pennies through the 2018-19 season even though he's arguably a top ten player in the league. How do you trade that guy away?
Who knows where the Bulls would be right now if GarPax hadn't backtracked on their plan to give Fred Hoiberg a younger roster that better fit his coaching style. If the Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo signings never happened, Chicago could've spent that money on mid-tier free agent shooters who could space the floor around Butler. Essentially, do what the Rockets are doing - quite successfully - with James Harden. They can still execute that plan, albeit a year late, if they keep Butler. Send Rondo on his way, let Wade use his player option to hit the market and sign elsewhere, and
actually commit to building around Jimmy. Use the money you would've spent on Wade and Rondo next season to bring in some shooters. Sign or draft a young point guard who can shoot to help Butler with the scoring load every night.
All that being said, if the Bulls front office is dead set on moving Butler and starting from scratch, the Celtics have the best pieces to offer. I'd want the Bulls to negotiate with them before any other team.
