Jimmy Butler trade rumors heated up on draft night last year.
This year, they reached fever pitch.
Now, the Bulls are actually dealing him.
Marc Stein of ESPN:
The Wolves are close to acquiring Jimmy Butler from Chicago, according to league sources
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 22, 2017
Sources say Minnesota's offer to Chicago for Butler was EXPECTED to include the No. 7 pick, Zach LaVine and Kris Dunn ...
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 22, 2017
K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune:
The Bulls have agreed in principle to deal Jimmy Butler to the Timberwolves, per source.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) June 22, 2017
The Bulls are getting Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and the 7th pick, per sources. Bulls keep 16th pick.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) June 22, 2017
Brian Windhorst of ESPN:
Wolves with get the No. 16 pick from Bulls in Jimmy Butler deal, sources said
— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) June 22, 2017
This isn’t nearly enough for Butler, a true star. He’s 27 and locked up for two more years.
Zach LaVine is a nice young player, but overrated due to his inflated points-per-game number. Kris Dunn looked passive on both ends of the floor as a rookie. The No. 7 pick comes in a relatively strong area of this draft, but Chicago is just trading up nine spots – not even acquiring an extra pick.
And the Bulls couldn’t have agreed to this trade before Dwyane Wade opted in and locked into a high salary that inhibits rebuilding?
Whether Chicago should have stuck with general manager Gar Forman or then-coach Tom Thibodeau a couple years ago has been debated and re-debated since the Bulls fired Thibodeau. This trade certainly indicates Thibodeau, now Minnesota’s president-coach, better knew what he was doing.