The Minnesota Timberwolves have moved their chips in. After spending a season falling short of playoff expectations, Minnesota dealt the No. 7 pick (which they used on Lauri Markkanen), Zach LaVine, and Kris Dunn for All-Star Jimmy Butler and the No. 16 overall pick from the Chicago Bulls.

It's a blockbuster deal that the Bulls have been waiting to make for years. They have never really believed in Butler as their leader, which is why he's been on the block constantly the past two years. Now, they've moved him for a talented player coming off an ACL injury, a second-year player who struggled mightily in his first season, and essentially, moving up nine spots in the draft.

For Minnesota, it's a move to begin seriously trying to win now with a player who flourished under Tom Thibodeau. For the Bulls, it's an attempt to gain multiple assets with upside for a player they never believed in. A lot is riding on how this works out.

Let's grade the trade:

  • Chicago receives: Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn, No. 7 pick in 2017 NBA Draft (Lauri Markkanen) 
  • Minnesota receives: Jimmy Butler, No. 16 pick in 2017 NBA Draft

Minnesota Timberwolves: A+

Let's start here. They got a potential perennial All-Star in exchange for a 2-guard who plays the same position as their now-third best player (Andrew Wiggins), Dunn, who looked borderline unplayable at times last season, and a move back of nine spots. That's incredible value.

This would have been an A even if they'd given up the pick and not gotten one in return. LaVine's best value to the Wolves was in such a deal to land a player like Butler. Dunn has upside, but is expendable.

But to get the 16th pick with it? It's a minor drop in a great draft when there was no perfect fit at seven for the Bulls.

Butler will have to play small forward again, as he did last year with Dwyane Wade. He'll have to help empower Wiggins, and the two are fairly similar in their ball-dominant, isolation-heavy approach. But Butler has never played with a talent like Towns. The pick-and-roll with those two will be absolutely devastating.

If the Wolves keep Ricky Rubio (and that's a big if), they'll have two premier defenders on the wing, and Towns underneath. Add a center who can effectively protect the rim and you have something serious going. As it is, they added an All-Star, and should be firmly in the playoff hunt. They have talent, they have leadership, they have a real chance of making noise. It's a big step for a franchise that hasn't made the playoffs in 13 years.

Chicago Bulls: D-

We'll probably never know why the Bulls soured so much on Butler after he consistently led them to playoff appearances. We'll never know why so many rumors about his attitude persisted, or why the team tried to trade him as often as they did.

We'll also probably never know why they dealt him for this package. But it was bad.

Butler is a premier defensive talent, a phenomenal tough shot-maker, and just posted a career season from any dimension you would evaluate. He's entering his prime, and he makes less than $20 million the next two years before an option for 2019-20. Meanwhile, Zach LaVine will be up for an extension or new deal next summer, coming off an ACL injury.

Dunn had great promise coming out of the draft, but his entire profile was built on him being older and being ready to play now. Instead, he looked overwhelmed his first season and is already 24 next season.

All of this ... and they had to give up a pick.

The Bulls have Wade for another year at $23.8 million, still have Robin Lopez and may bring back Rajon Rondo. They have not gone young. Markkanen is a good talent, and has incredible upside as a shooter, but he's not an incredible talent and his ceiling remains limited.

This wasn't a complete disaster for the Bulls. They got young players, and a pick, even if they had to send one. But they got terrible value for their best player, and set the franchise back without truly committing to a rebuild.

Not ... great.