Bulls GM says team never 'shopped' Jimmy Butler, which is likely half true
That doesn't mean there weren't trade talks
By
Matt Moore
•
1 min read
One of the biggest stories on NBA Draft night 2016 was a trade that never happened. All night, the Celtics and Timberwolves both advanced in talks with the Bulls about Jimmy Butler according to multiple reports.
The Celtics eventually surrendered their pursuit and picked Jaylen Brown with the third pick in what turned out to be a pretty underwhelming draft. The Wolves continued to pursue a deal throughout the night after taking Kris Dunn with the No. 5 pick, who the Bulls reportedly coveted.
The intensity of the reported talks was enough to convince you that Jimmy Butler was on the trade block, less than 24 hours after the Bulls traded Derrick Rose to the Knicks. Except, several league executives commented Thursday night saying there was confusion with the reports, with Bulls Gm Gar Forman saying all the right things about what, at this point, remains the team's best player.
Gar Forman: "We like Jimmy Butler. We didn't shop Jimmy Butler."
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) June 24, 2016
Forman: "When you have a special player like Jimmy, in order to move him, it's got to be something that knocks your socks off."
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) June 24, 2016
"We didn't shop Jimmy Butler" is not the same as "we did not entertain trade talks about Jimmy Butler." The former is active, looking to find a deal for him. The latter is passive, being open to the conversation and potential offers. You can say "listening to an offer doesn't mean anything" but the Cavaliers aren't listening to offers for LeBron James, and while the Warriors are too busy talking about how amazing their approach is to hear your offer, if you did try and trade for Stephen Curry, they'd shut you down, too.
Butler was on the table, even if the Bulls didn't put him there and push him across to suitors.
If you want to trade for Butler, it's going to take a mighty offer to get him, something involving a young star, multiple picks and role players, the kind of offer where you mortgage assets to get him. Few teams have the kinds of assets to make that offer, but one of them is Boston. Danny Ainge never really puts its best offer out there, and right now it appears as if the Celtics are unwilling to overpay, even for the star they need.
It seems likely that Butler stays in Chicago, but it also seems like Butler may have been very close on draft night to winding up somewhere else.
