Chicago Bulls Trade Rumors: Jimmy Butler, Dwyane Wade Implode After Loss To Atlanta Hawks
Chicago Bulls trade rumors about Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade have been kicked up a notch after the team imploded against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night (Jan. 25). Following the game, the two leaders of the Bulls completely lost their cool in front of the cameras, airing out their frustrations to the media. A report by CBS Sports states that the sixth loss in 10 games for the Bulls, this one coming against a Hawks team dealing off assets, has raised tensions among members of the team.
Despite another loss, the Bulls still remain as the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference. The updated NBA standings show that the team is at 23-24 overall, just one game ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks (21-24) for the final playoff spot. The Bulls are also just half a game behind the Indiana Pacers (22-22) and Charlotte Bobcats (23-23), showing how easy it would be for the team to move up to the No. 6 seed. A lack of consistency on the court has kept the team from moving up the standings, though, leading to quite a few Chicago Bulls trade rumors as the deadline approaches.
One comment that Dwyane Wade made to the media is certainly going to be discussed over and over by NBA analysts on Thursday (Jan. 26).
“This just can’t be acceptable if you want to do anything besides have an NBA jersey on and make some money. That’s all we’re doing. I’m 35 years old. I have three championships. It shouldn’t hurt me more than it hurts these young guys. They have to want it.”
Jimmy Butler didn’t force Wade to do the heavy lifting on his own, as he too talked down to his teammates, possibly seeing this as a way to shake things up in the locker room. Or it’s possible that he has simply had enough of the losing and feels it is time to ask the front office to be dealt. It didn’t end there, either, as the All-Star guards showed their disgust for the roster that Bulls general manager Gar Forman and vice president of basketball operations John Paxson put together.
Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg wasn’t spared in the tirade by Wade and Butler, as they discussed his inability to “reach players” on the roster. It doesn’t bode well for the team moving forward, especially since they are hosting the Miami Heat (Wade’s former team) on Friday night (Jan. 27). That game could serve as a tipping point for the season, as a victory could give the team much-needed momentum, but a loss could continue a tailspin that drops the team further in the Eastern Conference standings.
So what does this all mean in regard to the current Chicago Bulls trade rumors? As previously reported by the Inquisitr, Dwyane Wade wants no part of a rebuilding process in Chicago, stating as much to the media following a recent loss. If the team continues to struggle and decides that it is time to trade Jimmy Butler before the February 23 NBA trade deadline, then Wade won’t be returning for the 2017-18 NBA season. It would also foreshadow point guard Rajon Rondo and big man Taj Gibson getting dealt to kickstart a full rebuild of the roster.
That could wind up serving as a turning point to the Bulls, as other players on the roster could heed what Wade and Butler are saying, thus creating some enthusiasm to prove them wrong in the second half of the NBA season. That may be putting a positive spin on things, but often times it takes a catalyst to really wake up a roster like this one. The alternative is that the team continues to lose and the front office decides to break up the roster. Either way, the post-game tirades by Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler will usher in a new round of Chicago Bulls trade rumors.
[Featured Image by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images]
