All-Star forward Jimmy Butler has expressed his desire to stay with the Chicago Bulls amid speculations that he will be traded to another team this coming summer.
Butler, who scored 15 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter to lead the no.8 seed Bulls to a 1-0 series lead over the no.1 seed Boston Celtics on Sunday, stressed that he’s not paying attention to trade rumors at all. He added that his focus right now is on winning playoff games for the Bulls, the team that selected him 30th overall in the 2011 NBA Draft.
”Whatever happens, happens, man.
But right now I want to win. I want to win in these playoffs for this organization,” Butler said in an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times.
Celtics Wooing Jimmy Buckets
The rumors surrounding Butler’s potential Windy City exit this offseason began to emerge after Kevin O’Connor of the Ringer claimed, per a source close to the situation, that the 3-time NBA All-Star is ‘as good as gone.’
Veteran NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski previously reported the Bulls front-office is already contemplating a full-scale rebuild, which could involve trading Butler for draft picks and young talents. Woj also added the Celtics appear to be an ideal destination for the star player mainly because they have the assets to match the Bulls’ asking price.
Other than the Celtics, the Detroit Pistons have also hinted some interest in Butler, who is under contract for the next two years (valued at $39.4 million) with a player’s option for the 2019-2020 season.
D-Wade’s Future
Another player who could potential joins another team next season is Dwyane Wade. The former Finals MVP can make him available on the free-agency market this summer if he decides to opt out of the second-year of his deal with the Bulls worth $23.8 million.
Wade, who was originally projected to miss the postseason after suffering an elbow injury a month ago, returned for the last three regular-season games and contributed 11 points and six assists in the Bulls’ 106-102 win over the Celtics in Game 1.
D-Wade hasn’t spoken about anything about his plan for his career, but there are already speculations he will be joining his pals LeBron James and another incoming free-agent Chris Paul in Cleveland next season.
The future of Rajon Rondo with the Bulls (team option for the 2017-18 season) will also hinge on his performance this postseason. The veteran playmaker averaged 7.8 points, 6.7 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game during the regular-season, though he is expected to jack up his numbers once the playoff starts.
