The Los Angeles Lakers are busy scouring the market for a veteran star to add to their roster. Missing out on big names in free agency, such as Kevin Durant and Hassan Whiteside, the D'Angelo Russell team needs to present good offers to attract trades from other squads. At the moment, reports claim that Luke Walton has his eyes set on closing the Jimmy Butler trade contract.
The Chicago Bulls suffered an upsetting 2015-16 NBA season as they missed the playoffs. The situation was even compounded by the fact that the Nikola Mirotic squad had a legitimate chance in the 2015 NBA playoffs to actually unseat LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers as the kings of the Eastern Conference. This disappointing run from the Chicago Bulls later on saw massive changes in the roster starting from the exit of Derrick Rose followed by Joakim Noah and Pau Gasol. If rumors are to be believed, then it looks like a Jimmy Butler trade might be next.
Ever since Kobe Bryant announced his retirement, the Los Angeles Lakers have been looking into adding a veteran presence strong enough to lead the likes of D'Angelo Russell, Larry Nance, Jr. and Jordan Clarkson. With the addition of new head coach Luke Walton, who worked as an assistant head coach for the Golden State Warriors of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, the former Black Mamba squad now aims to attract veteran superstars.
Will Jimmy Butler be the right NBA All-Star for the job? More importantly, will the Chicago Bulls release the remaining member of their former core team? With the entry of Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade, the Nikola Mirotic team is now brimming at the seams with veteran stars. Does that mean the Jimmy Butler trade rumors actually have some truth in them?
Butler is signed for four more seasons, on a five-year, $95 million max contract he received with the Bulls in 2015. That contract situation makes Butler even more attractive to potential trade partners, in addition to his immense talent. Right now, though, it doesn't seem like he'll be leaving Chicago in the short term.
"I work on every aspect of my game because I'm never going to be perfect," shared Jimmy Butler in his latest endorsement of the Michael Jordan shoe brand. He added, "I wake up at 5:45, get in the gym, get on the floor. Bible study, film, back into the gym at night. I realized that since I was from Tomball, (Texas), everybody overlooked me. I don't think anything in the past has ever made me, broken me, none of that. The person, the player that I am right now is because of what I do every single day."
At the moment, it remains to be seen if the Chicago Bulls are sold on the hard work and promise of Butler to be better in the next NBA season. Although no official comment has been given by the any of the parties involved, the offseason has just started and more surprise NBA trade deals could shock the basketball fans.
