Report: Jimmy Butler Tells Bulls He Doesn't Want to Be Traded to Cleveland, Maybe He Knows LeBron is LA-Bound?

Jimmy Butler’s name has been embroiled in trade talks for over 24 hours now, but all of a sudden, he’s had a change of heart, if David Aldridge of TNT is to be believed.

This news came two hours after the Lakers pulled off a major trade, sending D’Angelo Russell to the Nets and clearing cap room with an eye on LeBron James in the summer of 2018.

Did Butler realize that if he went to Cleveland, he’d be stuck there when LeBron leaves for the Lakers next summer? Probably.

At the same time, elt’s be honest – the Bulls are going nowhere fast. Dwyane Wade is going to collect his $23.8 million salary next season. Rajon Rondo will torture the coach, Fred Hoiberg, and tantalize his teammates with his talent … but ultimately, none of this will matter. The Bulls won’t win 50 games and don’t have assets to swing a big trade.

The Bulls have actually drafted really well over the last four years, but they’ve shipped a couple of those picks out of town: Tony Snell (Milwaukee) and Jusuf Nurkic (Portland) are thriving – knock Snell if you want, he’s going to get paid next month – but there’s still hope for Bobby Portis and Paul Zipser. Denzel Valentine had a disappointing rookie year, especially for a guy who played four years of college. Reminder: The Bulls haven’t had a Top 10 pick since … they got Derrick Rose 1st in 2008.

Of course, maybe Butler just didn’t want to go to Cleveland, but he’s open to a trade to Boston …