The Chicago Bulls are taking every turn to dispel the Jimmy Butler trade rumors.
The first statement came from Jimmy Butler himself, who affirmed that he wants to stay in the Windy City through ESPN.
"That's why I'm here," Butler said. "I don't plan on going anywhere. I can't control what everybody else does. I know that this is the city that I love, Chicago. And I want to wear that jersey. I want to wear that name on the front, and I wear it proudly. All I got to do is continue to control what I can control. That's try to help this team win games."
On the other side of the supposed rift, Coach Fred Hoiberg has also denied that his relationship with Butler has turned sour, as he clarified through the Chicago Tribune.
"Jimmy and I have a very good relationship," Hoiberg said. "Obviously I have a lot of trust in Jimmy, putting the ball in his hands late in games. I communicate with Jimmy as much as anyone on this team. I obviously think the world of him for how hard he pushes himself and how much he just has improved over the years with his work ethic. That rubs off on the other guys."
What Hoiberg confirmed is that Butler is playing hurt, and he praises him for it.
"He's laboring," Hoiberg said. "He's battling, understands everything that's at stake. He's not going to leave his teammates out to dry."
While these may sound reassuring, it's no secret that any team friction that forces a team to place their player on the trading block will place them at a disadvantage. The damage control may be more of a leverage game for the team.
The Bulls front office may be "stuck" with Fred Hoiberg and while there are teams that managed to brush off some dissension after a coaching change, there could be a time when they have to make a decision. The Bulls GM may dismiss the trade rumors as due diligence but the bottom line is that they are ready to listen and may even trade Butler if they get the right offer.