The outcome of the 2017 offseason was almost profoundly different for the Chicago Bulls. People of course remember how things happened. Jimmy Butler was traded to Minnesota and the team embraced the rebuild by acquiring young pieces. What many may not know is it could’ve gone a totally different way. How? It involved a Kyrie Irving Bulls trade.
Yep. You heard that right. The four-time All-Star and NBA champion point guard almost left Cleveland to don the red and white. It came up when David Aldridge of NBA.com revealed that the 25-year old grew interested in getting away from LeBron James. Allegedly. The primary reason being the desire to become the focal point of a franchise. Something he would never be with the King on the same roster.
So he began seeking possible landing spots. The top of his list? Chicago.
Kyrie Irving Bulls trade talk starting the ball rolling
“Another league source said that Irving made his initial trade request before last month’s Draft, in hopes of being traded to Chicago and playing with All-Star swingman Jimmy Butler. Just before Griffin and the team decided to part ways, Griffin had been working on a three-team deal that would have brought Butler to the Cavs.
But Chicago traded Butler to Minnesota on Draft night for a package of guards Kris Dunn and Zach LaVine, and the 7th pick overall in the first round.”
Based on what this is saying, it’s clear Irving had a desire to play with Butler. However, where it gets weird comes from another direction. FanRagSports and Bleacher Report writer Kelly Scaletta indicated that the course of the Cavs offseason was giving more and more proof to an overriding buzz that dates back months.
That being the fact LeBron James plans to head west for Los Angeles to join either the Lakers or Clippers in 2018. If that were true it would make more sense that Irving would push to get shipped out. Nobody wants to go down with a sinking ship. Scaletta states the two actually cautioned Butler through private channels not to push for a trade to Cleveland.
Man, I'm starting to believe the reports that Kyrie and LeBron called Jimmy to tell him not to ask for the trade.
— Kelly Scaletta (@KellyScaletta) July 21, 2017
Likely would’ve been too costly
Basically if true they hinted two him that they had plans to get out and he should stay away. It’s clear the situation with the Cavaliers hierarchy is in flux. The shocking dismissal of former GM David Griffin being a clear example. It appears despite their run of great success the past three years, all is not well with that organization.
It’s hard to know how the Bulls could’ve pulled off a trade for Irving. On the flip side if they had, just think. It’s possible with Butler, Wade and Irving they could’ve enticed LeBron to come to Chicago. That would’ve created a lineup that could conceivably match up well with the Warriors. Alas we’ll never know.
