It’s been a shade under two months since Jimmy Butler was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Chicago Bulls hit the reset button like when you lose a championship game on the PlayStation 4. Discussions can be had from a number of different angles. Let’s look at a few of them.
When the Chicago Bulls did what many believed was the unthinkable and traded Jimmy Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves (along with the No. 16 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft) for Kris Dunn, Zach LaVine and the No. 7 overall pick, the initial thought from many was, “Holy sh*t. They actually did it.”
Whether you loved Butler and thought he was one of the best players in the NBA or the corniest of stars that wasn’t anywhere near what some people valued him as a player in Chicago is, the trade sparked discussions all across the league, into your nearest dive bar in Chicago and in the barber shop where your barber tells you that he could’ve taken Julius Erving back in his day.
The message was clear from the Bulls, though. This era of Bulls basketball was officially over. You know, the era filled with what ifs and could’ve beens that would’ve made your barber seems less senile at times because there are so many questions surrounding the Bulls franchise since Derrick Rose was drafted No. 1 overall in the 2008 NBA Draft.
And, the trade of Butler meant that the Bulls were giving up on the drive for that highly-coveted playoff revenue that has lined Jerry Reisndorf’s pockets to waste on past-their-prime stars on another side of town with another organization that he’s technically an owner of.
But, like many things when it comes to the Bulls, not everyone agreed with the new direction the Bulls technically chose. Many feel the Bulls got absolutely nothing for Butler. Some thought the Bulls were never going to get enough for Bulls. Others thought the Bulls should’ve hit a reset button, but in that simulation, the Bulls actually take a top-15 player in the NBA and put pieces around him that fit next to him.
All of those talking points have validity and flaws. How so? Well, that’s why we’re here gathered around the campfire that was sparked by pictures of Gar Forman, John Paxson and LeBron James, aren’t we? Let’s talk about these, now that the takes aren’t as hot as a Blazin’ wing from Buffalo Wild Wings.