Cleveland Cavaliers: 3 reasons to avoid Jimmy Butler trade
By Ryan Piers
2. Butler doesn’t fit
Cleveland would need to give up a few of its young assets to acquire Butler. Sexton, as mentioned, would probably be a part of the trade. Larry Nance Jr. and maybe Jordan Clarkson might be included. Trading for Butler means more than just parting with assets. Cleveland would forgo any financial flexibility by adding a second max player.
That might not be a serious issue for owner Dan Gilbert, who often dips deep into the luxury tax. Adding Butler, however, would completely handcuff Cleveland over the next several years. Plus, it would likely rob them of most of their youth in the process.
In the NBA, three stars are truly needed to compete for a title. Kevin Love and Butler make two. But with little young talent (likely following the roster gut it would take to book Butler), no contract room or draft pick next season, Cleveland would be even more hard-pressed to find that third star than they are now.
Finally, reports indicate the Timberwolves want to part with Gorgui Dieng’s comically huge contract, one in which he is owed $48.5 million over the next three seasons, in a package with Butler. So Cleveland may have to absorb one of the worst contracts in the league to acquire their superstar. That means reliable veterans George, J.R. Smith or Tristan Thompson would need to be included — and that’s assuming Minnesota would even accept one of those players in the trio.