Why the Bulls Don’t Need Andrew Wiggins to Complete Jimmy Butler Deal
Some pundits are putting word out that the trade won’t work between the Chicago Bulls and the Minnesota Timberwolves without Andrew Wiggins included as part of the deal. We’ll take a look at how the Bulls could still get a lot for Butler even if Wiggins wasn’t included in a trade package.
Honestly, I don’t think that GarPax are vain enough to think that Jimmy Butler is worth more than a potential package of the fifth overall pick, Zach LaVine, Ricky Rubio and Tyus Jones (or Shabazz Muhammad) in a draft day trade.
Andrew Wiggins may just be a foil or red herring thrown out by desperate Jimmy Butler fans who want an overachieving defensive role player to be worth more than his salt.
Fred Hoiberg already has a flow offense in place in Chicago that can get a big boost with Ricky Rubio’s playmaking, along with Zach LaVine on board too to finish off fast breaks with the best of them. Rubio as a playmaker with Minnesota allowed them to score well over 100 points a game. With either Shabazz Muhammad or Tyus Jones ironing out the deal to match player salaries, the Bulls get everything that fits into their system.
Do the Bulls slow down the game so Wiggins can get his isolation scoring moments like Butler, too? I don’t know if Wiggins is good enough in a premier role that resembles being “the guy”.
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That’s the only role that Wiggins would be labeled with if he ever wears a Bulls uniform.
Even in the playoffs when half-court sets are called more and star players must knock down shots every possession, Wiggins cannot score at an elite level night in and night out.
Guys like McDermott and Mirotic, if plays are called for them and the team protects them on defense, can torch the nets. They’ll alternate on that role at times as sharpshooting fowards, while Portis will be valuable if his game develops on both ends of the floor.
The Bulls don’t need to babysit another player like Wiggins with isolation hero ball to give him his points.
For team defense, their own picks — the 14th pick and the 48th pick — can still get the Bulls who they need and potential free agents that can really deliver the goods on defense.
I seem to remember that Jimmy Butler was a big reason why the Bulls lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs last year by hogging the ball in Games 4, 5 and 6 just to prove he could be as shiny as Derrick Rose, who made the game-winning shot in game 3 to pull the Bulls ahead 2-1 in the series.
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That series was given up to the Cavaliers with both Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving out with injuries. Butler’s isolation-heavy game was a primary reason last season was lost and was a problem the whole season because he fancied himself to be the team’s go to guy. But really, he was just stuffing stats while wearing himself out.
Tom Thibodeau is still deluded that the Timberwolves can win with Jimmy Butler and defense at the expense of consistent offense. Thibs doesn’t care about point margins or the hundred-point mark. He wants stops. Thibs thinks scoring comes naturally after stops. Stops don’t win in the playoffs by themselves. Scoring consistently on every possession does.
If Thibs is offering a shot at the fifth pick, Zach LaVine, RIcky Rubio and either Tyus Jones or Shabazz Muhammad — all one-fourth a team of Hoiball attack basketball, why not grab the offer?
Those players alone with Derrick Rose can gun for 30-point first quarters every night and then some. Fred Hoiberg will become the next bad joke like Krause’ pet coach Tim Floyd was in the ’90s if he’s a barely-above .500 coach next season, too.
Next: Joakim Noah sounds like a player ready for a new team in recent interview with Sportando
The Bulls front office just might see this potential trade as the one blockbuster deal that brings them back to relevancy.