Things have wildly digressed for the Chicago Bulls in a season that featured a rookie head coach looking to acclimate himself and untimely injuries. Early on it was shooting guard Jimmy Butler, the NBA’s reigning Most Improved Player, leading the Bulls into whatever kind of competitive hope they used to have. Over time, reports have implied that Butler and head coach Fred Hoiberg have experienced chemistry issues. Butler criticized Hoiberg’s coaching style back in December, saying the Bulls needed to be coached harder.
Now there seems to be some belief that the Bulls could look to trade Butler this summer.
I’ve been hearing rumbling that there is legitimate interest in Chicago in potentially dealing Jimmy Butler this offseason.
It sounds strange to think that, in the case that Butler and Hoiberg are at odds, the Bulls would rather keep Hoiberg than Butler. At 26, Butler is one of the top shooting guards in the NBA, and his emergence has been something of a godsend considering Derrick Rose’s recurring injury history.
That being said, Butler would obviously warrant a huge return for the Bulls. Steve Bullpett of the Boston Herald reported that the Boston Celtics were trying to make moves for Butler around the trade deadline. Boston would be expected to make another run at Butler if he were to hit the trading block, and The Vertical reports that the Orlando Magic would be another team to watch in the pursuit of Butler.
Butler signed a five-year, $95 million contract last summer. Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah are both free agents this summer. Ultimately, the alleged Butler/Hoiberg rift will have to give way. Either way the Bulls will have reinventing to do. They can do that with Butler or by trading him, but I think the trade would have to be too good to be true for Chicago to truly bite.
