Jimmy Butler (Photo : NBAE via Getty Images)
The Chicago Bulls and Philadelphia 76ers are probably sticking with their newly-formed lineup for the 2016-2017 regular season. But despite both team's summer acquisitions, rumors have suggested that the 76ers and Bulls could be among the teams looking to make changes in their roster as soon as possible.
Andrew Lynch of Fox Sports listed the teams that could explore the trade market in the immediate future. Among those included in Lynch's prediction of teams making moves this season are the 76ers and Bulls, who have retooled their lineup heading into the regular season.
The 76ers are one of the teams expected by many to explore potential deals, with Philadelphia yet to address their frontcourt logjam. Rumors have mentioned Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens noel as the two likely trade chips for the 76ers, but the former's awkward fit to the team's system see him as the odd man out in Philadelphia.
"Conventional wisdom holds that of Philly's three big men, Nerlens Noel is the one who will likely end up elsewhere. While he might be the easiest one to trade, if I were the Sixers, I'd be shopping Jahlil Okafor to any team interested in the former Duke standout's traditional offensive game," Lynch wrote.
Despite Noel recently expressing displeasure over the 76ers' crowded frontcourt, Okafor is easily the best trade chip the 76ers have. Okafor had a solid rookie season with the 76ers, averaging 17.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, but with Joel Embiid returning from injury and Dario Saric coming over from Europe, it would be hard to see Okafor's one-way game fit in the team's offensive schemes.
Following Ben Simmons' injury, the 76ers are left without their top playmaker, leaving them with only Sergio Rodriguez and Jerryd Bayless as options at the point. The 76ers could address their need of an elite playmaker by trading Okafor to the Phoenix Suns for Brandon Knight.
Knight has been relegated to a bench role, with Eric Bledsoe returning from injury. While Knight would probably embrace a bench role in Phoenix, ESPN Insider Chad Ford claimed that the Suns could trade him before the deadline.
"The Suns might actually prefer to trade Knight who, while younger, bigger and a bit more durable, isn't the decision-maker or dynamic scorer that Bledsoe is," Ford wrote. "Expect one of these two Suns guards (Bledsoe or Knight) to be gone by the trade deadline."
Knight would be a perfect acquisition for the 76ers, but it is difficult to see the Suns acquiring another big man in Okafor.
Another team that could make trades in the near future is the Chicago Bulls, who, according to Lynch, should consider moving Jimmy Butler.
"Really, it's time for the Bulls to embrace a rebuild and completely move on from the team's current era," Lynch noted. "That means trading Butler, the one player on the roster who could actually command a decent return in a trade."
The Bulls were able to make significant changes this summer by signing Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade. Both All-Stars would not only provide the Bulls solid plays on both ends of the floor, but their championship experience could also help bring a winning culture back in Chicago.
But as entertaining as it is to see Rondo, Wade and Butler all in the same team, the trio are creating an odd backcourt in Chicago, which may not yield good results for the team.
Rondo has established himself as one of the elite point guards in the league, but as the floor commander, he is required to have the ball in his hands to become more effective. Likewise, Wade also has to have the ball tailored to his heavy-isolation offense, which could mean less touches for Butler.
Trading Butler would give the Bulls valuable assets in return, and the Boston Celtics seem like the perfect trade partner for Chicago.
Butler has been linked to the Celtics before draft night, when the Bulls wanted to move up the draft order to select top prospects from the 2016 class. With plenty of tradable assets at their disposal, the Celtics could be in pole position to revisit trade discussions for Butler.
The Bulls are expected to keep hold of Butler this season, but if Chicago's revamped lineup won't yield them good results, trading him could become a possibility before the deadline.
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