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NBA Trade Rumors: With Celtics-76ers all but done, the Jimmy Butler rumors might get warm

By Michael Whitlow

Apr 12, 2017; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Dwyane Wade (3) and forward Jimmy Butler (21) rest during the second half against the Brooklyn Nets at the United Center. Chicago defeats Brooklyn 112-73. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 12, 2017; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Dwyane Wade (3) and forward Jimmy Butler (21) rest during the second half against the Brooklyn Nets at the United Center. Chicago defeats Brooklyn 112-73. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports /
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The season of NBA trade rumors got off to a fantastic start with the Boston Celtics-Philadelphia rumored trade (that appears to be happening at the top of the draft). With Boston acquiring even more assets, are they actually gunning for Jimmy Butler this time around?

You always have to take NBA trade rumors with a grain of salt because you’re likely going to hear a bunch of them throughout the offseason.

But, with the rumored trade between the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers appearing to be all but set in stone before the draft on Thursday night this week, things just got a lot more interesting in this year’s draft.

Here’s The Vertical‘s Adrian Wojnarowski with more on the deal that’s likely going to seal the deal for the Sixers taking Washington guard Markelle Fultz with the No. 1 overall pick on Thursday night.

"The Philadelphia 76ers have agreed to a deal with the Boston Celtics to acquire the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft, clearing the way to select Washington point guard Markelle Fultz, league sources told The Vertical.The teams are expected to finalize the trade with the league office on Monday, league sources said.Philadelphia is planning to send Boston the No. 3 overall pick in Thursday’s draft and the 2018 first-round pick that the Los Angeles Lakers owe the Sixers, league sources told The Vertical. The Lakers’ pick in 2018 is protected Nos. 2-5, league sources said.If that pick doesn’t convey to the Celtics, the Sixers will send a 2019 first-round pick via the Sacramento Kings to Boston, league sources said."

Hey, trades are cool, right?

So basically, the Sixers are swapping their first round picks this year (No. 1 and No. 3 overall) and the Celtics get either the Sixers pick via the Lakers in 2018 or the Sixers pick via the Kings in 2019.

Here’s how this could affect the Bulls:

  • With Boston not taking Fultz at No. 1, there’s a lot of question marks surrounding who they could take at No. 3 now. Could they take Josh Jackson from Kansas? What about Duke’s Jayson Tatum? Could they be drafting for someone else potentially?
  • Boston has made it known that they want to be players in the sweepstakes for Utah Jazz star Gordon Hayward to reunite him with Brad Stevens, his college coach at Butler. The Celtics have also been the main players in the Jimmy Butler rumors for quite a while now.
  • With these added assets to the already-stacked list of assets for Celtics general manager Danny Ainge, could another move been in line for Boston to go for it all next season?

There’s a chance that not only will those Butler rumors get going again this week, there’s a chance both sides could really start negotiating in talks at some point. However, the Bulls are going to ask for a lot for Butler (and rightfully so) and Boston probably won’t be willing to give the Bulls exactly what they want.

The Athletic Chicago’s Sean Highkin had a good thread of tweets on Saturday night that made complete sense.

He’s right in the fact that the Bulls are going to ask for a bunch for Butler (three first-round picks, including the Brooklyn pick without protections that’s probably going to be high in 2018) and the point where the Bulls probably don’t trade Butler. There’s a chance, but it’s relatively slim.

Many times, the Bulls have said Butler is with the Bulls and they’re happy with that in a way, but they really haven’t committed to him like you think you would with a top-15 player in the league.

Next: Question: Should the Bulls hit the reset button this summer?

Plus, Butler’s a humongous domino in the NBA and for the Bulls. If he heads for Boston, Dwyane Wade would probably decline his huge player option for next season, being that Butler was one of the main reason he even came to Chicago in the first place.

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