Jimmy Butler trade rumors are starting to gain some traction. If the Chicago Bulls actually make him available, here are five teams that could trade for him.
Jimmy Butler trade rumors aren’t anything new. It was over a year ago that we first started reading reports about the Chicago Bulls being hesitant to trust Jimmy Buckets as the next leader of the franchise, despite how hard he worked for them on both ends of the floor.
With the Feb. 23 NBA trade deadline approaching, it’s not surprising to hear more rumors that the front office could be considering moving him and starting what looks like a necessary rebuild from scratch.
According to Bleacher Report’s Ric Bucher, the Bulls will not only be shopping disgruntled point guard Rajon Rondo, but they’ll also be putting Butler on the trade block to cash in on the value of their 27-year-old superstar and jumpstart the rebuilding process.
The Athletic’s Sean Highkin has since refuted the report, noting that whatever young players or draft picks the Bulls would get in return for Butler, there’s no guarantee those assets actually turn into a player that’s as good as Butler is right now.
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It’s also worth noting that even trade rumors from go-to reporters like Marc Stein or Adrian Wojnarowski need to be taken with a grain of salt at this time of year, since teams “leak” information to throw people off their trail.
However, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne also reported the Bulls are listening to Butler offers, so since it’s not out of the question, it’s time we do our due diligence by examining some trade scenarios.
In a career season, Jimmy Buckets is averaging a career-high 25.2 points, a career-high 6.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. He’s become Chicago’s go-to on offense and he’s been their best wing defender for years now.
There’s no question he could bring the Bulls quite a handsome trade package if he were actually dealt, especially since the remaining two years and $38.5 million remaining on his contract (plus a $19.8 million player option for 2019-20) are pretty team-friendly under the expanding salary cap.
The question is, which teams would be interested and could actually put together a decent trade offer? Here’s a look at five potential Jimmy Butler trade scenarios (plus a couple of honorable mentions), along with why each deal would and wouldn’t work out.