Link: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2697770-distrust-dysfunction-disappointing-yes-these-are-your-chicago-bulls
Some quotes:
When the Bulls hit the All-Star break as barely a playoff team with veteran leaders mouthing off in unsettling ways, Butler's name became one of the most prominently mentioned in trade talks around the NBA. However, a league source familiar with Chicago's strategy said the team was not initiating trade discussions about Butler but merely fielding calls. There was "absolutely nothing" the team even came close to considering, the person said.
Yet the belief persists in front office circles that Butler is no fan of Hoiberg. In fact, a scout with a rival team told Bleacher Report he's witnessed persistent episodes when Butler, Rondo and Wade have ignored plays Hoiberg has called.
"When Fred would call plays on the sideline, Rondo would just flat-out blow him off," said the scout, who spoke with Bleacher Report on the condition of anonymity. "Wade does it, too. Butler does it, too. ... That becomes infectious."
Like hedge fund managers, they're counting on a crash after two straight summers of exorbitant contracts given out amid unprecedented spikes in the salary cap. And when other teams pull back, the Bulls believe they'll be ready to pounce.
"This market's going to shut down in 14 months," one executive within the league said. "And when it does and you have flexibility, it's a buyer's market and you'll have opportunities."
By then, Wade and Rondo will be long gone, and the Bulls will be banking on their ability to attract high-impact free agents in their prime—something they've never done. It's also something that will be even more challenging if the collateral damage from the Wade-Rondo experiment continues to mount.
It will all come down to whether the Bulls' bet on a free-agent market collapse in 2018 is on the money—and whether they can capitalize. The alternative was to bottom out, rebuild, waste precious years of Butler's prime and take their chances in the draft lottery.
