A player that could create some intrigue and chaos at the same time if he were to return to the Chicago Bulls would be SF Jimmy Butler.
By far the two most controversial separations that existed with the Chicago Bulls over the course of the last decade involved former stars Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler. D-Rose was the biggest superstar point guard to maybe ever suit up for the Bulls. But it seemed like the trade the Bulls pulled off with the New York Knicks to dish him out in 2016 was long overdue when it happened.
The separation between “Jimmy G. Buckets” and the Bulls wasn’t as clean or expected. Butler did cause a lot of friction in the locker room and with the front office in his last year or two in the Windy City. But he’s proved since leaving the Bulls that he can succeed as the star player on a team that makes it pretty far in the playoffs. Granted the Philadelphia 76ers were ousted when he was leading the way last year.
Trading Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves nearly three years ago doesn’t seem like the right move at this point from John Paxson and Gar Forman’s perspective. The Bulls got a return that included power forward Lauri Markkanen, shooting guard Zach LaVine, and point guard Kris Dunn, by sending Butler to the Twin Cities in 2017.
Despite all the hard feelings that seemingly existed between GarPax and the rest of the Bulls front office with Butler a few years back, he appears to still be open to a reunion in Chicago one day. According to a report from the Chicago Sun-Times, Butler “wants to play again in Chicago someday”.
Jimmy Butler returning to the Bulls someday? He says yes. But he also talked about why the Heat culture is so successful, and where the Bulls rebuild is.
— Joe Cowley (@JCowleyHoops) February 15, 2020
Read it:https://t.co/ZwHOnSWr6F
But that piece from the Sun-Times also highlighted that Butler is really enjoying the situation he’s in now with head coach Erik Spoelstra and the Miami Heat. Elevating his career as a dark horse title contender in South Beach is obviously appealing for Butler in the latter days of his prime years of production in the NBA.
So far this season, the five-time All-Star selection and two-time All-NBA honoree Butler is averaging 20.6 points per game, 6.8 rebounds, and 6.1 assists, while shooting
Butler is in Chicago this weekend for the All-Star Game. He’s back in the arena where he thrived for so many years alongside multiple star players. But it just didn’t workout in the end for Butler and the Bulls as his locker room friction was too much for the front office and coaching staff to cope with.
Last offseason, Butler signed a four-year contract worth more than $140 million in total. He’ll be under contract for three more seasons beyond this summer. So a potential reunion in the Windy City with the Bulls looks like it would be a long ways away still.