NBA Trade Rumors: Chicago Bulls Struggling To Fulfill Jimmy Butler Request

NBA trade rumors are suggesting that the Chicago Bulls are having a hard time trying to find the help that Jimmy Butler both wants and needs before the deadline in February, according to ESPN.

For those of you that are not aware, Jimmy Butler has taken over the reigns of the Chicago Bulls from Derrick Rose, a former NBA MVP winner who has become unusually inconsistent, and he feels that he knows how the team needs to be built in order for him to lead them deep into the playoffs for the next several seasons.

As the frustration boiled, Jimmy Butler went to Chicago Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg and general manager Gar Forman to ask that they try to find a defensive-minded perimeter player that can shoot from the three point line, something that he feels would open up the court for himself and free him of having to guard the opposition’s best scorer.

When the request was made, many believed that Jimmy Butler would get what he wants because the Chicago Bulls had a plethora of big men, some of whom were not able to get on the court because there were just so many talented ones on the roster, including rookie Bobby Portis.

Then, injuries struck the Chicago Bulls, as an emergency appendix surgery took out the under-performing Nikola Mirotic and a shoulder separation ended the season prematurely for Joakim Noah, which meant that there was no longer a front court log jam for Fred Hoiberg to deal with.

That meant that the Chicago Bulls were only left with Taj Gibson, Bobby Portis, and Pau Gasol as the legitimate big men in the rotation, something that Fred Hoiberg isn’t necessarily comfortable with because that meant that he would have to lean heavily on a rookie who is still trying to learn his way in the NBA.

Since they went from the penthouse to the outhouse in terms of having front court depth, the Chicago Bulls might need to think outside the box to upgrade their roster, as there are no longer a ton of trade assets just sitting around on the bench.

One potential option is to look at the Chinese Basketball Association for former NBA players who are thriving overseas but might be silently yearning to return home to the United States, where Michael Beasley and Jason Maxiel have been making noise as of late.

If the Chicago Bulls aren’t pleased with what they see in former NBA players in the Chinese Basketball Association, then they can always have Fred Hoiberg change up his rotation and go with a small ball lineup that utilizes sharp shooting Doug McDermott, who is just 6’8″, 225 pounds, at the power forward position more frequently.

A move like that could spread the defense and open up the floor for Jimmy Butler to take his defender from the perimeter and drive it right past him on the way to another highlight-reel-worthy finish at the basket.

A move like that could also mean more space in the low post area for Taj Gibson, Bobby Portis, and Pau Gasol, all of whom are natural power forwards who would be required to spend their time against bigger and more physical NBA centers.

A potentially big drawback for going with a smaller lineup is the fact that Pau Gasol isn’t exactly fit for the up tempo style, as the Spanish-born player is much more comfortable slowing things down and using his array of low post moves to attack defenses.

The Chicago Bulls cannot appease Jimmy Butler this season, so a trip to the NBA Finals is highly unlikely.

[Featured Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images]