Jan 24, 2017; Orlando, FL, USA; Chicago Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg talks with forward Jimmy Butler (21) against the Orlando Magic during the second quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
After years of rumors and speculation, the Chicago Bulls dealt Jimmy Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Here are the main takeaways from this trade.
For the third time in four years, the Chicago Bulls made a splash leading up to draft night. In 2014, they exchanged two first round picks for Doug McDermott. Last year, they sent former MVP, Derrick Rose, to the New York Knicks (more on that in a bit).
This time around, the front office raised some eyebrows when they dealt Jimmy Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and the seventh overall pick — Lauri Markkanen.
The irony here is vice president of basketball operations John Paxson stated a few weeks ago that the Bulls were not shopping Butler. I guess what he really meant was they weren't shopping him at the time because the right deal had not come along at that point.
Here is what Butler had to say about the recent turn of events..
"It's crazy because it reminds you of what a business this is," Butler told the Chicago Sun-Times. "You can't get mad at anybody. I'm not mad — I'm not. I just don't like how some things were handled, but it's OK."
Based on those comments, Butler — as well as the fan base — was surprised by the move. Regardless of that fact, the bottom line is the three-time All-Star is no longer a Bull.
That being said, here are the main takeaways from this trade.
Dec 26, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose (1) and guard Jimmy Butler (21) celebrate during the second half against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
No. 5: History repeats itself
The day before the 2016 NBA Draft, the Bulls traded Derrick Rose to the New York Knicks in a five-player deal that netted them Robin Lopez and Jerian Grant. The thought behind that was the team was moving away from a core that had gone as far as it could go and that it was time to move in a different direction.
In light of that decision, the consensus was Butler would become the face of the franchise. After all, he was their No. 1 scoring option and the team's best all-around player. However, Paxson never viewed Butler in that light, which is why he made the decision to send Butler to the Timberwolves exactly a year later.
So now that they have traded two of team's most accomplished players in recent years, it is safe to say the Bulls are now heading toward a full-scale rebuild.
Which brings me to my next point…..
Jan 27, 2017; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Rajon Rondo and forward Jimmy Butler and guard Michael Carter-Williams and guard Dwyane Wade (left to right) on the bench to start the first quarter against the Miami Heat at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
No. 4: Bulls in rebuild mode
Following last year's draft, the Bulls promised to get younger and athletic. Of course, that sentiment went out the window when they acquired Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade. Although both players possess championship pedigree, they provided very little from an athleticism standpoint.
Based on those moves, it was safe to say the Bulls preferred to remain competitive rather than going into full-scale rebuild mode. A year later, that sentiment has changed a bit.
Prior to the start of the 2016-17 season, the Bulls had eight players with three or less years of NBA experience. With the additions of LaVine, Dunn and their recent draft acquisition, that total now stands at 10.
Now that they have dealt away their longest-tenured player, it appears the Bulls have decided to hit the reset button.
"I said at the trade deadline this past year that we needed a certainty in terms of jump-starting this thing," Paxson told the Sun-Times. "When you talk about certainty, you talk about young players, draft picks, that give you a leg up on it.
"It is rebuilding. There's going to be a lot of bumps along the road.''
There will be bumps in the road for several reasons. First, none of the younger players from last season did anything to prove they could be relied upon consistently.
Although LaVine is a very athletic player who was having a career year before going down with an ACL injury, his status in terms of being ready for the start of next season is uncertain.
Furthermore — Dunn — who didn't play too well during his rookie campaign (3.8 points and 2.4 assists per game on 38 percent shooting) — becomes the sixth point guard on the Bulls roster. The backup point guard spot was similar to a revolving door last season, and adding Dunn to the mix does not solve that problem.
Taking those factors into consideration, Bulls fans should not expect to see this team competing for a playoff berth next season.
Apr 6, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic (44) shoots past Philadelphia 76ers guard Justin Anderson (23) during the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. The Chicago Bulls won 102-90. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
No. 3: What happens with Nikola Mirotic?
The one positive about Nikola Mirotic is he has posted a double-digit scoring average in each of his three seasons with the Bulls. The downside is he has a tendency to disappear for long stretches following solid performances.
One such example of this trend occurred in the playoffs against the Boston Celtics. Following three straight outings in which he scored in double figures, Mirotic went MIA in the final two contests, as he scored a total of just 11 points to go along with six rebounds.
As part of the Butler trade, the Bulls acquired Lauri Markkanen from Arizona. During his lone collegiate season, Markkanen averaged 15.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per contest.
Even more important, he buried 42 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc — making him one of the top shooters in this year's draft. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to see the Bulls are hoping he can excel in the stretch-4 role.
If he can overcome his deficiencies on defense, that could certainly be the case. Although the Bulls want to keep Mirotic, does he become expendable if Markkanen becomes a rotational player?
It will be interesting to see how this narrative unfolds during the offseason.
Apr 18, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Chicago Bulls point guard Rajon Rondo (9) drives against Boston Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas (4) and forward Jae Crowder (99) during the first quarter in game two of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
No. 2: Will the Bulls keep Rajon Rondo?
Rajon Rondo certainly had his fair share of memorable moments during the 2016-17 season. But in spite of a one-game suspension — along with being benched for five games — Rondo proved the Bulls offense was better when he was on the floor.
For example, the Bulls averaged 108.5 points per contest in Games 1 and 2 against the Celtics. After Rondo went down with an injury, however, they averaged just 90 points per outing the rest of the series.
Now that they have acquired the point guard they coveted in the 2016 NBA Draft, will the Bulls continue with their youth movement and cut ties with Rondo? It sounds a bit hasty on the surface, but that would save them $10 million if they did.
Being that the Bulls don't have an established player at this position, the chances of them doing so are between slim and none. Then again, as draft-night proved, anything is possible with this franchise.
Jan 3, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau talks with center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) during the first quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
No. 1: Timberwolves got the better end of this deal
The Bulls dealt away one of the best two-way players in the game. Not only that, Butler has increased his scoring output each year he has been in the league.
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Sure, LaVine is an athletic 2-guard who averaged 19 points per contest before an injury sidelined him for the second half of the season. On the other hand, no one knows how he will perform once he returns. We need to look no further than Derrick Rose to understand how the body can betray you after a serious knee injury.
On top of that, does Dunn have what it takes to flourish in Hoiberg's pace-and-space system, and can Markkanen's long range shooting translate at the next level? There are certainly a few questions from Chicago's side of things in this transaction.
Conversely, the Timberwolves know exactly what they are getting in Butler. For starters, Butler brings a defensive presence to a young core that didn't always perform well at that end of the floor last season.
Additionally, Butler is a three-time All-Star who posted career highs in points (23.9) rebounds (6.2) assists (5.5) and steals per game (1.9). Furthermore, he brings a tireless work ethic to the table, and he is more than capable of making big shots when the game is on the line.
Perhaps the addition of Butler alone will not instantly transform the Timberwolves into a conference powerhouse. However, they definitely got the better end of this deal, and they will be closer to playoff contention than the Bulls next season.
In fact, considering the Bulls are in rebuild mode, that fact may hold true over the next few seasons as well.
