ESPN Bulls insider Nick Friedell dropped all kinds of bombs on Bulls fans today when he chatted with the guys from Mike & Mike on ESPN Radio. First, he predicted that despite the outcry from his fanbase, the loyal Jerry Reinsdorf won’t fire Fred Hoiberg, Gar Forman or John Paxson before next season. Given the underwhelming showing from GarPax’s “retooled” roster this year and the growing belief that Hoiberg can’t control his locker room, Jerry could justly sack all three of them. Could, but won’t.
Not Our Guy
Then Mike Greenberg asked Friedell about Chicago’s rising star, Jimmy Butler. Essentially, “He’s an elite player, and only 27 years old, so why in the world would you trade Jimmy Butler instead of building around him?”
Friedell’s response isn’t quite what you’d expect to hear, given the fact that Butler just earned his first selection as an All Star starter.
“They have had multiple chances to commit to Jimmy… I don’t think that Gar and Pax believe that Jimmy can be the #1 star on a team, at least on a championship caliber team. Knowing that, when you look at this roster and all those draft picks they’ve made recently… none of these guys are panning out. So if you know that you need a rebuild… your best asset on this team right now is Jimmy Butler. And if you’re not convinced that he can be the #1 star on a title team, then you’ve got to look and see if you can move him. I think that’s where they stand right now.” – Nick Friedell
If Forman and Paxson truly believe that, they need to get their eyes checked. Maybe schedule a lobotomy while they’re at it. Butler has done nothing but improve, improve and improve some more since winning the NBA’s Most Improved Player award following the 2014-15 season. He’s now on the same level as LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in conversations about the league’s best two-way wing players. He expanded his offensive game, and he guards the opponent’s best player every night.
Lead Us
So what is it, exactly, that’s preventing Forman and Paxson from getting completely on board with the idea of building around Butler? Maybe it’s the leadership qualities, or lack thereof.
“Last year, Jimmy tried to take that next step in his leadership role and he struggled. Guys like Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose were looking at him like, ‘What happened to the humble kid from Tomball, Texas?’… Dwyane Wade comes in this year, I think he’s been a big help for Jimmy in getting him more comfortable in the framework of the locker room… I just don’t think the Bulls have ever been fully confident in Jimmy being that leader inside the locker room.” – Nick Friedell
Wade’s presence has undoubtedly helped Butler figure out what it means to be a leader in the NBA. Or has it? Taj Gibson implied that the younger guys on Chicago’s roster are frustrated by Wade not regularly participating in practices. In a somewhat hypocritical Instagram post, Rajon Rondo reminded everyone that real leaders don’t point the finger of blame at the younger guys. They put the blame and responsibility on themselves, and they pick the younger guys up. So is Wade really leading by example? If Butler followed Wade’s lead with those postgame rants to the media, are his leadership qualities just as questionable as those of his elder Marquette brother?
Leave Us
Remember, the Bulls front office fined Butler and Wade for their comments, and Hoiberg took them out of the starting lineup. Forman, in his very brief time with the media, scolded them for publicly calling out their teammates. Maybe the leadership issue is actually a very big one in the eyes of Butler’s employers. Enough of an issue that the Butler trade rumors actually carry some weight.
If they got the right package back of draft picks and younger guys on longer deals, I think they’d make that move. I’d look to a team like Boston, because they have the pieces to do it. – Nick Friedell
Plenty of potential Jimmy Butler trades between the Bulls and Celtics exist, as Friedell notes above. But Boston certainly wouldn’t be the only team in the league to express interest, should the Bulls make it known that Butler is available. The team refuted the latest report that such trade lines are open, but that might change if the Bulls continue to sputter along in an aimless season.
In the ongoing debate about whether or not Butler is an “untouchable” franchise player in the NBA, the latest from Friedell suggests the Bulls front office doesn’t think so. Let the debate continue. The trade deadline is now less than a month away.
Tick…tock…
