Report: Bulls would seek high picks, young vets in Butler trade
With the NBA trade deadline four days away, the growing assumption is that Jimmy Butler could be the biggest name on the market. While it's not known yet if his Chicago Bulls are ready to pull the trigger on a full-scale rebuild, that's precisely what a Butler trade would signify.
With rumored word that the Bulls and Boston Celtics have at least broached the subject of a deal, a report came Sunday that Chicago would be seeking a combination of high draft picks and young veterans in return, according to CSN's A. Sherrod Blakely.
Given the assets they currently possess, the Celtics are the Bulls' most logical trading partner. Beyond Boston holding what could become the No. 1 pick in June's draft from the Brooklyn Nets, they also have a boatload of other selections over the next three years.
In terms of the so-called "young veterans," players like Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder, Marcus Smart, and Kelly Olynyk could fit the bill. All are under the age of 27, and on relatively favorable contracts - either entry-level deals or second contracts.
League executives told Blakely that they believe the Celtics are more focused on a blockbuster trade as opposed to smaller, supplemental deals. What remains to be seen is if the Bulls are truly prepared to blow things up. The team has been floundering around the East's lower playoff seeds for most of the season with little reason to believe they are capable of making a deep postseason run.
Veteran Dwyane Wade has already indicated he is not interested in staying in his hometown if Butler is moved, and if Chicago can recoup a ransom of assets in exchange for him, it's expected they would.
Butler would likely be the most attractive trade candidate on the market; a proven top-10 two-way player who's only 27 and on a bargain of a contract - about $18 million per season through 2019.
It's possible other teams could join the fray, possibly starting a bidding war. Butler's old coach Tom Thibodeau and the Minnesota Timberwolves reportedly inquired about him last summer, and could theoretically offer players such as Andrew Wiggins, among other assets, in return.