As we all know, the Bulls are in the middle of a rebuild. And while said rebuild was spurred and made glaringly obvious by the draft day trade that sent Jimmy Butler to Minnesota for Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn, and the rights to Lauri Markannen almost exactly a year ago — don’t call it a comeback but — Butler may end up a Bull once again.
Per Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times:
“Decisions I make, the money, my contract, all of that will handle itself. I don’t ever worry about my money. I already have enough money for the rest of my life. It’s all about winning.’’
That’s why a return to the Bulls isn’t that far-fetched. After next season
Team president Michael Reinsdorf is a huge Butler fan, and the feeling is mutual. Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn, Lauri Markkanen and a soon-to-be draft pick might need some tough love.
“I loved the city of Chicago, and I love the Reinsdorfs,’’ Butler said. “I’m forever grateful for them in taking a chance on me, allowing me to become the player that I am today. It’s still incredible to me that I got to hoop in a Bulls jersey. I got to play in the house that [Michael] Jordan built, that [Scottie] Pippen played, all that stuff. That’s because of the Reinsdorfs.
“If the time comes where I say, ‘You know what, I do want to end this thing in a Bulls jersey,’ I think that would be amazing. But it’s all about being wanted and winning.’’
“And no general manager Gar Forman?’’ Butler was asked.
He then laughed and limped away.
Don’t expect the GarPax duo to do anything this offseason, in fact in all likelihood the Bulls’ brass will stand pat in anticipation of a looming potential gold mine waiting a year ahead.
With the Bulls set to have over $72 million in cap space for the 2019-20 season (that’s without figuring LaVine’s imminent extension) Chicago figures to be a huge player in free agency, when the likes of Klay Thompson, Kyrie Irving, and yes, Jimmy Butler are set to become free-agents.
As you can see above, Jimmy has already put it into the universe that a return is possible.
Perhaps the grass wasn’t all that much greener in Minnesota, and perhaps he truly never wanted to leave to begin with– hell, he could be tired of Thibs shit already. Whatever the case, the guy clearly loves Chicago, and with a budding roster full of youth set to bloom in the coming years, there may be no time better than 2019.
