As expected, the NBA Draft found many teams moving around players and picks to position themselves to contend next season. One name thrown around a lot was Jimmy Butler, former star forward for the Chicago Bulls who has now found a home in the Minnesota Timberwolves.
There were initial rumors of the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, and Cleveland Cavaliers being interested in 2015’s Most Improved Player. These rumors were followed up by the news that Cavaliers’ players reached out to Butler, encouraging him to avoid coming to Cleveland as there are many internal issues stemming from the firing of General Manager David Griffin. After weighing his options, the three-time NBA All Defensive Team honoree expressed his desire to stay in Chicago.
The trade sent Butler and the rights to the Bulls’ 16th pick Justin Patton to Minnesota, in exchange for guards Zach Levine and Kris Dunn, and the rights to the Wolves’ 7th pick, 7-footer Lauri Markkanen. This trade will reunite Butler with former Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau and allow him to join up with rising sensations Andrew Wiggins and Karl Anthony Towns. While the Bulls definitely got the short end of the stick and a lot of responsibility will fall on veterans Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo, the Timberwolves may now have the pieces to contend for a playoff spot in the Western Conference.
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Today Jimmy Butler said goodbye to the Chicago Bulls in a long Instagram post: