The NBA trade rumors continue to roll and some of the failed blockbusters are starting to unravel. Meanwhile, the Chicago Bulls need to make a choice.
In accordance with Boston Celtics President Danny Ainge's admission that the Brooklyn Nets' pick was indeed in play during trade talks, the Boston Herald's Steve Bulpett revealed that the team pursued Chicago Bulls' guard Jimmy Butler, with their main draft asset dangled as bait.
"It's been said Chicago's Jimmy Butler would be a good fit here, and multiple sources told us the Celts made a strong move for the 6-foot-7 wing." Bulpett wrote.
"According to one source who was linked to a player involved in the potential transaction, the Celtics were willing to give up two first-round draft picks this year, the unprotected pick from the Nets and Dallas' choice, which is protected if in the top seven."
Quoting a source, Bulpett clarified that it was not the Bulls who initiated the talks.
"This is not a case where Chicago was looking to trade Jimmy Butler," a source said. "That would be crazy. But if Boston calls, you have to look at those picks and some of the players they have and at least hear them out. Most times when teams call about your star, you can just dismiss it right away, but you have to think about it with Ainge and the Celtics right now. There's a lot to go over there with possibilities."
It's no surprise for the Celtics to seek out some return for their draft picks. The entire league knows that the Celts won't use them all and they will be used as bait. The report stated that Ainge targeted most of the All-Stars (although Butler missed the game due to injury). Paul George of the Indiana Pacers was also named as a prospect.
What the report does reveal is that the Chicago Bulls seem to have decided that Butler is their alpha dog. There were various controversies with Butler and claims that his teammates do not support him, but the Bulls turning down a high lottery pick means they are all in on him.
It is uncharacteristic for the Bulls to pass up high draft picks and the unprotected Nets' pick could end up in the top three (even no.1). With this decision, it seems more plausible that the Bulls would trade Derrick Rose instead.
This was supported by Steve Rosenbloom of the Chicago Tribune in his strong editorial piece.
I don't see this getting better quickly otherwise, Rosenbloom wrote regarding Butler and Rose playing together. "The inability of Rose and Butler to work and play well together would be a shotgun wedding for another season until Rose could seek the free-agency riches that determine what he hears when he listens to his body. One of them has to go, it would seem, because the man Bulls management wonks named to replace Thibodeau can't seem to coach both of them."
With the Celtics' aborted trade, Butler's lengthier contract and Rose's injury history, it seems the Bulls have made their choice.