Jimmy Butler trade: LeBron James, Kyrie Irving reach out to Bulls star, claims new report
A new report claims that Chicago Bulls superstar Jimmy Butler "would push his front office" to execute a potential trade to the Cleveland Cavaliers. On Sunday, reports surfaced of the Cavs trying to engage the Bulls in multi-team trade scenarios that would include a third team that can faceplate younger talent and draft picks.
According to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun Times, Cavs stars LeBron James and Kyrie Irving reached out to Butler over the last few days and gauged the two-way wing's interest in joining forces in Cleveland. Butler has a Player Option worth US$19.8 million (AU$25.9 million) ahead of the 2019-20 season. Since Butler has a minimum of two seasons left, the Bulls have justifiably maintained a high price tag for the All-Star.
"....Not only have Cavaliers players -- including LeBron James and Kyrie Irving -- been reaching out to Butler directly and through back channels over the last five days to gauge his interest, but those players liked what they heard back from the Bulls’ three-time All-Star," Cowley wrote in a report published Tuesday.
Jimmy Butler to Cavs: LeBron James, Kyrie Irving reach out
"One of the sources indicated that Butler would even push his front office to get the deal done, which is a huge change of direction for Butler, who has told both general manager Gar Forman and vice president of basketball operations John Paxson numerous times over the last year that he didn’t want to be traded," added the report.
“Jimmy wants to win, period . Whatever it takes to get that done," a source told The Chicago Sun Times. The report added that a third team was imperative for a Jimmy Butler trade to come to fruition. The Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Lakers have been mentioned as teams with possible interest in Love.
In February, Jimmy Butler told a ESPN First Take that Kyrie Irving was his favourite player and dream teammate. "One guy? I’d probably have to go with my favorite player that’s not myself, and that’s Kyrie. I love Kyrie’s game, and he’s a really good dude.”
The Cavs are reportedly willing to trade Kevin Love, who has three years left on the five-year, US$113 million (AU$149 million) contract that he signed in July, 2015. If the Bulls were to trade Butler, they'd be hitting the reset button with younger players and draft picks rather than accepting Love's hefty contract. The 2017 NBA Draft is on Thursday.
Jimmy Butler, voted into the starting unit of the 2017 NBA All-Star game, averaged a career-high tally of 23.9 points, 5.5 assists and 6.2 rebounds in his sixth NBA season. During the six-game playoff series against the Celtics, Butler averaged 22.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists.
