It Would Be a Major Shocker if GarPax Traded Jimmy Butler to Thibs

On Monday, Marc Stein and Chad Ford reported that Tom Thibodeau and the Timberwolves would be willing to trade the fifth overall pick in the upcoming NBA Draft to the Bulls for Jimmy Butler. On paper, this would be a great swap for both sides, but it’s also pretty unlikely to happen. (ESPN indicates the Bulls would need more than just the pick in return.)

Minnesota, with a core including Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns, would be immediately ready to compete for the playoffs in the Western Conference if they added a veteran, two-way star like Butler. The Bulls probably need to blow up their current core and go through a rebuild; they failed to make the playoffs in the East this year in Fred Hoiberg’s first year with the team, and the absolute ceiling with their roster as presently assembled would seem to be a second round exit.

Furthermore, we kept hearing about how Butler had gone Hollywood and was disconnected with teammates this season. When the chips are down, the Bulls are a sieve for sordid stories like that, so it’s difficult to really know whether any purported attitude issues from Butler contributed to the losing this season, were exacerbated by it, or maybe a little bit of both.

Thibodeau has previously had a good working relationship with Butler, and evidently isn’t worried about any adjustment to that now that the star has gotten a big contract. Again, the Bulls should be at least willing if not eager to part with him, and that draft pick is a nice chip towards building a new foundation.

However, even though this move would help the Bulls, it’s really difficult to envision Gar Forman and John Paxson in any way contributing to the likelihood of Tom Thibodeau’s success in Minnesota. There is so much pettiness there, and a desire to be proven right in the long run for dismissing him, that providing him with a piece as valuable as Jimmy Butler feels rather unlikely. Anything could happen, but I wouldn’t bet on this deal going down.