The Chicago Bulls Have Joined The Jimmy Butler Saga

The last month of watching the Miami Heat and Jimmy Butler clash over their future together has not made Chicago fans miss their former shooting guard. That being said, if his departure from South Beach somehow turns into the Bulls parting ways with Zach LaVine and bringing in a new face of the franchise, most would ask where to sign. It's been rumored that several teams, including the Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks, have checked on Butler's status and gauged Pat Riley and company's asking price. Will his departure be accelerated with a reaffirmed trade request from Butler's camp and a new two-game suspension?

Beal To Chicago, LaVine To Milwaukee

Each passing day feels like a growing blockbuster trade is happening behind the scenes of the Butler fiasco. Phoenix recently acquired three first-round picks to bolster their offer to Miami. Bradley Beal's no-trade clause is the most significant roadblock to a potential trade now, which some think may be waived for an opportunity to join his former college coach, Billy Donovan. Before being drafted third overall in 2012 by the Washington Wizards, Donovan and Beal made an Elite Eight run in 2011 together at the University of Florida.

"It was amazing for me and very well needed. I always say it was short-lived because I love Billy Donovan, and I wanted to win him a national championshiop, and I always told him that even when he is coaching with the Bulls now... It was amazing, man."

Bradley Beal via Pippen Ain't Easy

Can Chicago truly unload their most overpaid, underperforming player of this decade and shake things up with Bradley Beal?

From One Overpaid Star To The Next

Even if this is Arturas Karnisovas's lone opportunity to ship away LaVine, he must proceed cautiously. Beal's contract is one of the few leaguewide that is more lucrative than LaVine's, while he's a year older and has a no-trade clause attached to it. While changing up the face of the franchise and adding a three-time All-Star who has been one of the best scoring guards leaguewide over his career might seem enticing, it's a nearly identical situation to what their current All-Star guard provides. Should the Bulls accept a swap if accompanied by the newly gained draft capital from Phoenix or young assets from Miami or Milwaukee?

The Bulls could emerge as a team involved in the Jimmy Butler trade.

Bradley Beal to the Bucks is a very realistic option on the table, but so is reuniting with his former college coach Billy Donovan.

Zach LaVine would go to Milwaukee, while Chicago nets Beal and draft capital. pic.twitter.com/4gEJwsicld

— Evan Sidery (@esidery) January 22, 2025

Is this move away from LaVine clever, desperate, or irresponsible? While many agree that he needs to be in new threads after the February trade deadline and missing his third consecutive All-Star nod despite his top-15 leaguewide salary hit, adding Beal and young assets might be a rare scenario where the Bulls lose a LaVine trade.