And. Here. We. Go.
With just days until the 2017 NBA Draft, the rumor mill surrounding Jimmy Butler is starting to heat up. Earlier on Monday we wrote about the Philadelphia 76ers turning down a deal for Butler that involved the No. 3 overall pick.
With the Boston Celtics reportedly looking to center a package for Butler around the No. 3 overall pick, things are heating up.
On Monday afternoon three more teams got into the mix.
The Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns and the Cleveland Cavaliers are all interested in the Bulls’ star. Yep, that’s right, the Cavaliers.
ESPN’s Marc Stein is reporting that Cleveland is trying to assemble a multi-team deal in hopes of landing Butler before the 2017 NBA Draft. With the Cavaliers coming off a loss to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals, they are looking to load up the talent to beat Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant and Draymond Green.
The Cavaliers, per league sources, have been working today on assembling multi-team trade scenarios to try to acquire Chicago's Jimmy Butler
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 19, 2017
If we had to rank the possibilities, this would certainly be low on our list. Cleveland would need to find at least another team willing to give up a high draft pick that the Bulls would receive. We have to imagine Cleveland would be parting ways with Kevin Love too.
As for Minnesota, well it wouldn’t be the first time the two have been involved in a rumor. Last year we heard that former Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau wanted to reunite with Butler. It appears that might be true again as the two have made contact this week:
Sources: Chicago’s price for Jimmy Butler remains elevated, but Minnesota has assets and interest. Sides made preliminary contact this week.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 19, 2017
Minnesota is an interesting candidate to land Butler. They won’t part ways with Andrew Wiggins or Karl-Anthony Towns, but would Zach LaVine or Kris Dunn be a part of the package?
Then there is the Suns.
This came from a source close to the Chicago Tribune’s K.C. Johnson:
Suns are another team to watch, per source. https://t.co/tuXWT9c8rF
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) June 19, 2017
Shortly after, Bulls beat writer Vincent Goodwill said the Suns are just doing their “due diligence” on Butler before the draft.
The Suns are a young team and have a rising star in Devin Booker but they are not ready to compete with Golden State just yet. Does Butler really push the needle that much for them?
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