Jimmy Butler Trade - Why and Ideas

[rowseyna]

http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-bulls/nba-buzz-financial-and-competitive-realities-could-lead-jimmy-butler-trade-bulls
https://pippenainteasy.com/2017/05/17/jimmy-butler-trade-ideas-probably-wont-happen-los-angeles-lakers/
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2710453-10-realistic-trades-after-the-results-of-2017-nba-draft-lottery

Read on Twitter

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/19411097/indiana-pacers-unlikely-extend-paul-george-missing-all-nba-qualifier

Look, Jimmy Butler is a top 15 player in the NBA and he just made All-NBA Third Team. He's a bonafide superstar at 27 years old (28 next year) with two years left on a great contract. The fact is, if he's able to make another All-NBA team at some point over the next two years (very likely, in my opinion), the guy is going to cost an absolute fortune on his next contract... at age 30.

The Bulls are in the LeBron Era (much like the MJ Era of the 90s) and any path to the Finals in the East is going to have to go through him for the next 3-5 years. It doesn't look good for our Bullies right now.

The question is, when the time comes, are the Bulls going to pay JB that crazy contract? I doubt it. And if they're not, with each passing minute, the opportunity to trade Butler just gets worse and worse. Now is the best time to trade him and it's not going to get any better.

So, what are the trade options? Let's look/discuss:

Phoenix

The Suns are loaded with assets right now that could be appealing in a JB trade. They have the #4 overall pick in this draft. They have Marquese Chriss and Dragan Bender (two top-10 picks last year). They have T.J. Warren (still only 23) and Chicago native Tyler Ulis.

If the Suns are tired of losing and what to start winning right now, adding JB may be their best avenue.

Philly

Philly has #3 overall in this draft and they're another very young team loaded with assets. Would you do #3, Justin Anderson, and Okafor for JB?

Minnesota

Zach LaVine? Kris Dunn? #7 overall?

Los Angeles

The Lakers landed the #2 overall pick in this year's draft and are likely to draft PG Lonzo Ball. With D'Angelo Russell already occupying that spot in LA, they could look to move him in order to bolster the rest of their roster around Ball. Russell's still only 21 and was the 2nd overall pick in 2015. Would you trade Butler for Russell, one of Ingram or Randle, and Nick Young?

Perhaps with all the drama Lonzo's father is bringing around his son, would LA consider shipping the #2 pick to CHI in a Butler trade? How about Corey Brewer, Ingram, and #2 for Butler and Cam Payne?

Boston

I think Boston is one of the less likely options, but it's obligatory that I include them here after all the discussion that's gone on around these two teams and a potential deal for a while now. The Celtics are said to really like Fultz with the #1 overall pick, but would they consider Avery Bradley plus the #1 pick for Butler? Would you consider it?

Atlanta

The Hawks reportedly offered four first-round draft picks for Paul George at the trade deadline this past season. Would they offer the same package for Butler? Would that be worth it?

The fact is, Jimmy Butler is very likely going to be very expensive in a couple of years. If the Bulls aren't willing to pay him (which I don't think they are), then they need to move him. The questions are, to who and for what?

So, which trade partner do you like the best? Which do you think is the most realistic? Discuss.

[TheStig]

Philly IMO is the best bet. Boston likely thinks they can sign Hayward and will keep the pick.

Jimmy fits in and gives them credibility. They already have Embid, Simmons and Saric to fill out the front line. Jimmy can go back to the 2 and they can sign a pg and make the playoffs.

But I would want the #3 and Lakers pick and probably okafor.

[Bulls03]

I think Boston would be more interested in PG as I think he's a better fit.

The Lakers (to entice PG in free agency) Sixers or Suns wouldn't surprise me. I would say it's a no go for the other teams.

[Fl_Flash]

Where's Sacramento in this list? Aside from Philly, I think they'd make the best trade partners.

[MrSparkle]

Ulis, Chriss, Bender and #4 sounds good to me.

I'd throw in 1 more guy, whoever they want (Portis, Grant, Payne) to balance the Chriss acquisition.

Immediately dump RoLo for cap and a late 1st.

Let Wade walk or collect the paycheck on a tankjob (probably work out a buy out).

Chuck 3Ps, lose games and get top-5 picks the next 4 years.

That's the only Jimmy-trade scenario I can get with.

[sh0ck]

I'm not sure why everyone keeps tying PHX into the discussion. Outside of Brandon Knight/Tyson Chandler/Eric Bledsloe (all of whom they've probably tried to trade), none of the players on the team are on the same timeline as Butler - 27.

Bender - 19, Ulis - 21, Warren - 23, Booker - 20, Len - 23, Williams - 24

Even if they added Butler, they aren't a lock to get into the Western playoffs... let alone survive a series without getting swept by the Warriors.

If they give up all these assets for 2 mediocre seasons, Butler/Bledsloe is just going to leave them anyways in 2018, and set their franchise back another 5-10 years.

[sco]

I could do Jimmy for Saric and Philly's #1.

[realEAST]

Nice to see BR not underrating Jimmy. I'd do both Lakers and Boston deal proposed in article.

Can see 76-ers making an offer since they could look to contend finally, and could rather target Jimmy than look to trade down. #3 + 2018 LA + 2019SAC is what I'd be looking for, or at least #3, LAL/SAC pick, Luwawu and/or Okafor.

Deal I'd also like to see would be with Boston for 2018 BKN pick, if they toss in 2019MEM, Brown and Rozier.
We could than give Portis and/or Rozier, #16 for #10 (if Kings take wing with #5) or for #11 if Z. Collins or Ntilikina is still there.

[Gray Poster]

I could do Jimmy for Saric and Philly's #1.

I second this type of trade, plus I would want the 36th pick.

We could take Josh Jackson or De'Aaron Fox, OG, Diallo and Ojeleye with our 4 picks.

[pb-ceo]

PHI needs vets. BOS probably does not like that JB contract set up very much. But their best offer for Buckets is in the past. That JB contract has disaster written all over it. And I think bulls FO recognizes that. These new provisions in the CBA are awful for franchises and extremely player friendly. I could see BOS offer the 2018 brkln pick and Smart. BOS would then have fulz butler and maybe GH. I would try to move IT if I were them.

[rowseyna]

I could do Jimmy for Saric and Philly's #1.

That could be good. Be looking at something like:

Rondo/Grant/Payne
Valentine/Canaan/Morrow
Josh Jackson/Zipser
Saric/Portis/Kuzma
Lopez/Felicio/Swanigan

[rowseyna]

I could do Jimmy for Saric and Philly's #1.

I second this type of trade, plus I would want the 36th pick.

We could take Josh Jackson or De'Aaron Fox, OG, Diallo and Ojeleye with our 4 picks.

Josh Jackson, Kyle Kuzma, Jawun Evans, and Caleb Swanigan

Rondo/Payne/Jawun Evans
Grant/Valentine/Canaan
Josh Jackson/Zipser/Morrow
Saric/Portis/Kuzma
Lopez/Felicio/Swanigan

[stilldropin20]

portland.

CJ Mccollum for jimmy straight. if you can also get a piece then get it.

Why:

Chicago: CJ is already locked up for $20M for the next 5 years and is essentially the best off ball/on ball PG/SG combo in the league after steph. you play CJ at PG. as a PG he is a good defender and elite scorer. and moves the ball a lot. he also moves off ball like a steph curry. he is a ball movement savant. so he fits better next to rondo and Wade for that matter. Jimmy might cost $35-50M per year from 29-33. we will indefinably regret resigning him. he's just not good enough for that type of money. Not even close. Jimmy has proven this year he is not a difference maker. more of a stat stuffer. which means we should not resign him anyway. and you dont want to lose him for nothing, either.

so you definately trade jimmy for something. I dont like trading top 15 type players for draft picks. i think that is stupid due to risk. so i will take a proven NBA quatity like CJ Mccollum any day of the week over fults or Ball. let alone the #3, 4, or 5 picks. if fults or Bal grow up to become CJ mccollum someday then they will be considered great draft picks and worthy of the hype. CJ is already there. Go get him. if i'm paxson, (and if i have to),i sweeten the pot with 1 of Niko, Payne and Grant. I make this a deal Portlans cant walk away from. but ideally we get a pick back with CJ. for Jimmy straight.

Why for Portland:

CJ and Damian are essentially the same player with damian being better on ball and CJ being better off ball. Both should be PG's. Jimmy and Damian should be damn good. Portland gets closer to GS with Lillard, Jimmy, Harkless, (whoever), Jokic. thats the 2nd best team in the west. they can now go 6-7 games against GS. all you can ask for really. with that kind of talent portland now becomes a destination for title seeking vets.

this is game 5 last year. playoffs. against the #1 defense in the league and a 73 win team that was well on its way to the title. typical game for CJ.

Watch on YouTube

[chrispatrick]

portland.

CJ Mccollum for jimmy straight. if you can also get a piece then get it.

Why:

Chicago: CJ is already locked up for $20M for the next 5 years and is essentially the best off ball/on ball PG/SG combo in the league after steph. you play CJ at PG. as a PG he is a good defender and elite scorer. and moves the ball a lot. he also moves off ball like a steph curry. he is a ball movement savant. so he fits better next to rondo and Wade for that matter. Jimmy might cost $35-50M per year from 29-33. we will indefinably regret resigning him. he's just not good enough for that type of money. Not even close. Jimmy has proven this year he is not a difference maker. more of a stat stuffer. which means we should not resign him anyway. and you dont want to lose him for nothing, either.

so you definately trade jimmy for something. I dont like trading top 15 type players for draft picks. i think that is stupid due to risk. so i will take a proven NBA quatity like CJ Mccollum any day of the week over fults or Ball. let alone the #3, 4, or 5 picks. if fults or Bal grow up to become CJ mccollum someday then they will be considered great draft picks and worthy of the hype. CJ is already there. Go get him. if i'm paxson, (and if i have to),i sweeten the pot with 1 of Niko, Payne and Grant. I make this a deal Portlans cant walk away from. but ideally we get a pick back with CJ. for Jimmy straight.

Why for Portland:

CJ and Damian are essentially the same player with damian being better on ball and CJ being better off ball. Both should be PG's. Jimmy and Damian should be damn good. Portland gets closer to GS with Lillard, Jimmy, Harkless, (whoever), Jokic. thats the 2nd best team in the west. they can now go 6-7 games against GS. all you can ask for really. with that kind of talent portland now becomes a destination for title seeking vets.

Saying Butler is not a difference maker is simply factually inaccurate. It would be difficult to explain his +10.6 rating or why we played worse than the Nets, 76ers, or Lakers when Butler was on the bench.

Also, McCollum's value isn't close to Fultz's. Not only does Fultz have a rookie contract, he has an outside chance to develop into the top 5 player that everyone on this board things you probably need to win a championship. Even if that chance is unlikely, it's more than McCollum can say. Meanwhile, I can say with a fair amount of confidence than McCollum will never be as good as Butler is now.

[rowseyna]

portland.

CJ Mccollum for jimmy straight. if you can also get a piece then get it.

Why:

Chicago: CJ is already locked up for $20M for the next 5 years and is essentially the best off ball/on ball PG/SG combo in the league after steph. you play CJ at PG. as a PG he is a good defender and elite scorer. and moves the ball a lot. he also moves off ball like a steph curry. he is a ball movement savant. so he fits better next to rondo and Wade for that matter. Jimmy might cost $35-50M per year from 29-33. we will indefinably regret resigning him. he's just not good enough for that type of money. Not even close. Jimmy has proven this year he is not a difference maker. more of a stat stuffer. which means we should not resign him anyway. and you dont want to lose him for nothing, either.

so you definately trade jimmy for something. I dont like trading top 15 type players for draft picks. i think that is stupid due to risk. so i will take a proven NBA quatity like CJ Mccollum any day of the week over fults or Ball. let alone the #3, 4, or 5 picks. if fults or Bal grow up to become CJ mccollum someday then they will be considered great draft picks and worthy of the hype. CJ is already there. Go get him. if i'm paxson, (and if i have to),i sweeten the pot with 1 of Niko, Payne and Grant. I make this a deal Portlans cant walk away from. but ideally we get a pick back with CJ. for Jimmy straight.

Why for Portland:

CJ and Damian are essentially the same player with damian being better on ball and CJ being better off ball. Both should be PG's. Jimmy and Damian should be damn good. Portland gets closer to GS with Lillard, Jimmy, Harkless, (whoever), Jokic. thats the 2nd best team in the west. they can now go 6-7 games against GS. all you can ask for really. with that kind of talent portland now becomes a destination for title seeking vets.

Saying Butler is not a difference maker is simply factually inaccurate. It would be difficult to explain his +10.6 rating or why we played worse than the Nets, 76ers, or Lakers when Butler was on the bench.

Also, McCollum's value isn't close to Fultz's. Not only does Fultz have a rookie contract, he has an outside chance to develop into the top 5 player that everyone on this board things you probably need to win a championship. Even if that chance is unlikely, it's more than McCollum can say. Meanwhile, I can say with a fair amount of confidence than McCollum will never be as good as Butler is now.

McCollum certainly has a chance to become a top 5-10 player in this league. To say he doesn't is silly. Dude just won the Most Improved Player award. He could definitely be as good as Butler is now. He's still only 25 and just put up 23/4/4 on 48/42/91 on a playoff team... Come on...

Compare the two at 25 after their fourth seasons...

http://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/pcm_finder.fcgi?request=1&sum=1&player_id1_hint=Jimmy+Butler&player_id1_select=Jimmy+Butler&y1=2015&player_id1=butleji01&idx=players&player_id2_hint=C.J.+McCollum&player_id2_select=C.J.+McCollum&y2=2017&player_id2=mccolcj01&idx=players

[stilldropin20]

portland.

CJ Mccollum for jimmy straight. if you can also get a piece then get it.

Why:

Chicago: CJ is already locked up for $20M for the next 5 years and is essentially the best off ball/on ball PG/SG combo in the league after steph. you play CJ at PG. as a PG he is a good defender and elite scorer. and moves the ball a lot. he also moves off ball like a steph curry. he is a ball movement savant. so he fits better next to rondo and Wade for that matter. Jimmy might cost $35-50M per year from 29-33. we will indefinably regret resigning him. he's just not good enough for that type of money. Not even close. Jimmy has proven this year he is not a difference maker. more of a stat stuffer. which means we should not resign him anyway. and you dont want to lose him for nothing, either.

so you definately trade jimmy for something. I dont like trading top 15 type players for draft picks. i think that is stupid due to risk. so i will take a proven NBA quatity like CJ Mccollum any day of the week over fults or Ball. let alone the #3, 4, or 5 picks. if fults or Bal grow up to become CJ mccollum someday then they will be considered great draft picks and worthy of the hype. CJ is already there. Go get him. if i'm paxson, (and if i have to),i sweeten the pot with 1 of Niko, Payne and Grant. I make this a deal Portlans cant walk away from. but ideally we get a pick back with CJ. for Jimmy straight.

Why for Portland:

CJ and Damian are essentially the same player with damian being better on ball and CJ being better off ball. Both should be PG's. Jimmy and Damian should be damn good. Portland gets closer to GS with Lillard, Jimmy, Harkless, (whoever), Jokic. thats the 2nd best team in the west. they can now go 6-7 games against GS. all you can ask for really. with that kind of talent portland now becomes a destination for title seeking vets.

Saying Butler is not a difference maker is simply factually inaccurate. It would be difficult to explain his +10.6 rating or why we played worse than the Nets, 76ers, or Lakers when Butler was on the bench.

Also, McCollum's value isn't close to Fultz's. Not only does Fultz have a rookie contract, he has an outside chance to develop into the top 5 player that everyone on this board things you probably need to win a championship. Even if that chance is unlikely, it's more than McCollum can say. Meanwhile, I can say with a fair amount of confidence than McCollum will never be as good as Butler is now.

rondo 2-0 vs Boston.

jimmy 2-4. 0-4 with out rondo. and frankly jimmy got his azz handed to him and his lunch eaten. and then proceeded to be laughed off the court. like Boston players were literally laughing at him.

Rondo was the difference maker. Not jimmy. Micheal Jordan and magic johnson and larry bird used to play 44 and even up to 48 minutes per game if necessary. so dont give me to on/off plus minus bull crap. magic johnson basically didn't leave the court in 1991.

you either get wins or you dont. it really is that simple.

[stilldropin20]

portland.

CJ Mccollum for jimmy straight. if you can also get a piece then get it.

Why:

Chicago: CJ is already locked up for $20M for the next 5 years and is essentially the best off ball/on ball PG/SG combo in the league after steph. you play CJ at PG. as a PG he is a good defender and elite scorer. and moves the ball a lot. he also moves off ball like a steph curry. he is a ball movement savant. so he fits better next to rondo and Wade for that matter. Jimmy might cost $35-50M per year from 29-33. we will indefinably regret resigning him. he's just not good enough for that type of money. Not even close. Jimmy has proven this year he is not a difference maker. more of a stat stuffer. which means we should not resign him anyway. and you dont want to lose him for nothing, either.

so you definately trade jimmy for something. I dont like trading top 15 type players for draft picks. i think that is stupid due to risk. so i will take a proven NBA quatity like CJ Mccollum any day of the week over fults or Ball. let alone the #3, 4, or 5 picks. if fults or Bal grow up to become CJ mccollum someday then they will be considered great draft picks and worthy of the hype. CJ is already there. Go get him. if i'm paxson, (and if i have to),i sweeten the pot with 1 of Niko, Payne and Grant. I make this a deal Portlans cant walk away from. but ideally we get a pick back with CJ. for Jimmy straight.

Why for Portland:

CJ and Damian are essentially the same player with damian being better on ball and CJ being better off ball. Both should be PG's. Jimmy and Damian should be damn good. Portland gets closer to GS with Lillard, Jimmy, Harkless, (whoever), Jokic. thats the 2nd best team in the west. they can now go 6-7 games against GS. all you can ask for really. with that kind of talent portland now becomes a destination for title seeking vets.

Saying Butler is not a difference maker is simply factually inaccurate. It would be difficult to explain his +10.6 rating or why we played worse than the Nets, 76ers, or Lakers when Butler was on the bench.

Also, McCollum's value isn't close to Fultz's. Not only does Fultz have a rookie contract, he has an outside chance to develop into the top 5 player that everyone on this board things you probably need to win a championship. Even if that chance is unlikely, it's more than McCollum can say. Meanwhile, I can say with a fair amount of confidence than McCollum will never be as good as Butler is now.

McCollum certainly has a chance to become a top 5-10 player in this league. To say he doesn't is silly. Dude just won the Most Improved Player award. He could definitely be as good as Butler is now. He's still only 25 and just put up 23/4/4 on 48/42/91 on a playoff team... Come on...

Compare the two at 25 after their fourth seasons...

http://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/pcm_finder.fcgi?request=1&sum=1&player_id1_hint=Jimmy+Butler&player_id1_select=Jimmy+Butler&y1=2015&player_id1=butleji01&idx=players&player_id2_hint=C.J.+McCollum&player_id2_select=C.J.+McCollum&y2=2017&player_id2=mccolcj01&idx=players

EXACTLY!!!! you give CJ the keys( the way jimmy has had them and the way lillard has had them and he puts up MVP type numbers). there is a ton of upside for CJ. he is a player on the rise. Jimmy looks to me like a player that has peaked and his peak is weak in terms of affecting the bottom line(wins and losses):which is about leadership. jimmy is a questionable leader at best. at worst, a very poor leader. doesn't get much out of lessor talents.

[chrispatrick]

Saying Butler is not a difference maker is simply factually inaccurate. It would be difficult to explain his +10.6 rating or why we played worse than the Nets, 76ers, or Lakers when Butler was on the bench.

Also, McCollum's value isn't close to Fultz's. Not only does Fultz have a rookie contract, he has an outside chance to develop into the top 5 player that everyone on this board things you probably need to win a championship. Even if that chance is unlikely, it's more than McCollum can say. Meanwhile, I can say with a fair amount of confidence than McCollum will never be as good as Butler is now.

McCollum certainly has a chance to become a top 5-10 player in this league. To say he doesn't is silly. Dude just won the Most Improved Player award. He could definitely be as good as Butler is now. He's still only 25 and just put up 23/4/4 on 48/42/91 on a playoff team... Come on...

Compare the two at 25 after their fourth seasons...

http://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/pcm_finder.fcgi?request=1&sum=1&player_id1_hint=Jimmy+Butler&player_id1_select=Jimmy+Butler&y1=2015&player_id1=butleji01&idx=players&player_id2_hint=C.J.+McCollum&player_id2_select=C.J.+McCollum&y2=2017&player_id2=mccolcj01&idx=players

EXACTLY!!!! you give CJ the keys( the way jimmy has had them and the way lillard has had them and he puts up MVP type numbers). there is a ton of upside for CJ. he is a player on the rise. Jimmy looks to me like a player that has peaked and his peak is weak in terms of affecting the bottom line(wins and losses):which is about leadership. jimmy is a questionable leader at best. at worst, a very poor leader. doesn't get much out of lessor talents.

How does he not get the most out of lesser talents? As stated, our lesser talents play worse than the 76ers, Lakers, or Nets statistically when he's not on the court, and somehow, Jimmy dragged them to the playoffs. Saying he doesn't get much out of lessor talents completely ignores how terrible those talents perform without Butler vs. how the team performed with Butler.

Meanwhile, McCollum can score for sure, but I'd be curious how one would justify why the Blazers had the same record as the Bulls if he's on Butler's level, given McCollum plays with Lillard and Butler plays with.... ?

[rowseyna]

Saying Butler is not a difference maker is simply factually inaccurate. It would be difficult to explain his +10.6 rating or why we played worse than the Nets, 76ers, or Lakers when Butler was on the bench.

Also, McCollum's value isn't close to Fultz's. Not only does Fultz have a rookie contract, he has an outside chance to develop into the top 5 player that everyone on this board things you probably need to win a championship. Even if that chance is unlikely, it's more than McCollum can say. Meanwhile, I can say with a fair amount of confidence than McCollum will never be as good as Butler is now.

McCollum certainly has a chance to become a top 5-10 player in this league. To say he doesn't is silly. Dude just won the Most Improved Player award. He could definitely be as good as Butler is now. He's still only 25 and just put up 23/4/4 on 48/42/91 on a playoff team... Come on...

Compare the two at 25 after their fourth seasons...

http://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/pcm_finder.fcgi?request=1&sum=1&player_id1_hint=Jimmy+Butler&player_id1_select=Jimmy+Butler&y1=2015&player_id1=butleji01&idx=players&player_id2_hint=C.J.+McCollum&player_id2_select=C.J.+McCollum&y2=2017&player_id2=mccolcj01&idx=players

EXACTLY!!!! you give CJ the keys( the way jimmy has had them and the way lillard has had them and he puts up MVP type numbers). there is a ton of upside for CJ. he is a player on the rise. Jimmy looks to me like a player that has peaked and his peak is weak in terms of affecting the bottom line(wins and losses):which is about leadership. jimmy is a questionable leader at best. at worst, a very poor leader. doesn't get much out of lessor talents.

Not sure how you can say Jimmy looks like he's peaked, though. The dude has gotten better literally every single season. Why will that stop right now? I mean, how many people have said, "Jimmy's peaked" after every single season... and then we just find out he hadn't? Definitely premature and truly unknowing to say he's peaked.

[Bulls03]

Good lord lol. This CJ talk is still going on? It's terrible. Jimmy is a much better player.