While Bulls fans try to figure out what the hell just happened with that trade with Oklahoma City, the big Jimmy Butler rumors went quietly untouched as the deadline passed.
Gar Forman and Danny Ainge continued their long-lasting standoff. Like 12 year old kids eyeing each other from opposite sides of the gymnasium at the school dance, the subtle flirting never materialized into an awkward make-out session. It’s probably all for the best. Ainge likely would’ve gotten his lip caught on Gar’s braces.
…Where were we? I got lost in my beautiful dark twisted fantasy.
Oh, right! The Bulls did what most expected and held onto franchise star Jimmy Butler through today’s NBA trade deadline. While rumors about Chicago and Boston revisiting their trade talks from last year spiraled out of control over the past month, the end result stayed the same.
Ainge hoarded his assets (primarily the 2017 1st round pick owed to him by the Nets) and Forman didn’t hear an offer insanely rich enough to part with his best player on a very cheap contract. We also heard from TNT’s David Aldridge, among others, that Jae Crowder was once again the hangup of any potential deal. The Bulls wanted Butler’s former Marquette teammate, but Ainge wouldn’t let him go.
Most insiders said there were basically zero discussions between the Bulls and Celtics all day.
And the beat goes on.
Full Steam Ahead
By keeping Butler, the Bulls front office sent a message to their fanbase: “We want to get back to the playoffs this year, and we think that Jimmy is our guy to build arou nd…for now….maybe.” But they sent away Taj Gibson and Doug McDermott, two of the team’s most important role players thus far this season? Okay…
Forman and Paxson, along with team president Michael Reinsdorf, might revisit the idea of trading Butler in the offseason when teams’ lottery picks are locked in. But the immediate plan is for Butler and a hopefully-healthy Dwyane Wade to lead the Bulls to a postseason birth. Coming out of the All Star break, Chicago holds the 7th seed in the East. They’re one game behind Indiana for the 6th seed and two games clear of the Bucks in 9th.
Who knows? A first round matchup with Cleveland, Boston or Toronto might prove interesting. The Bulls are 6-1 against those three teams combined this season. I don’t put any stock into it, but you can bet your bottom dollar that Gar does. Or he might not. Either way, it gives him an out when he undoubtedly faces questions about a meaningless first round exit when all is said and done.
“Something, something…compete at a high level…excited about our core moving forward…something.”
Some Bulls fans are happy about keeping Butler, while others wanted to see the front office finally press the self-destruct button and blow this team up completely. You can’t always get what you want, but one thing is true no matter where you stood on the Jimmy trade rumors: this Bulls team will be interesting for the next 2 or 3 months. Not necessarily good. But interesting.
