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Jimmy Butler Pleads His Case To Stay With The Chicago Bulls, Should The Bulls Trade Him?

By Ernest Shepard
Published on: 09:24 PST, Jun 3, 2017

Jimmy Butler has made his comments publicly clear — he wants to stay with the Chicago Bulls. There is a great chance that the Chicago Bulls’ front office wants Jimmy Butler to be back as well. But there is a sentiment that if the right offer comes along for Butler, the Bulls will listen intently.

Jimmy Butler was a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live just the other night to talk about the NBA Finals. The Bulls’ star also talked to Jimmy Kimmel about his status with the team (courtesy of Bleacher Report) and whether or not he will be traded during the offseason. Unsurprisingly, Butler says all of the right things regarding his desires to want to stay with the Bulls.

“Because I love Chicago so very much. They took a chance on me in 2011, with the 30th pick, so I’m forever grateful.”

Kimmel went on to ask Butler what would he do in the possibility that he get traded to the Boston Celtics or Los Angeles Lakers. Butler offered up a formal answer.

“I can’t really control that. I signed however long I did with the Bulls. What they decide to do, is what they decide to do. I love it there. But like I always say, whatever organization I play for is always going to get my all, every single night and I am fortunate enough that it is with the Chicago Bulls.”

Should the Chicago Bulls trade Jimmy Butler? That is a question which has been asked at nauseam. It has been asked daily and there are too many NBA trade rumors with Butler’s name, that the topic should not be ignored.

If the Chicago Bulls want to put together a team with young players, one that could contend for an NBA title in five years, it is time for a trade.

That is not on knock on Jimmy Butler and his ability to lead a team, but he is 28-years-old. By the time five years comes around, LeBron James will either be retiring or at the end of his dominance. A 32-year-old Jimmy Butler still will not be able to get the Bulls over the hump, as he will be at the end of his prime years.

Simply put, the Chicago Bulls might be wasting away Jimmy Butler’s best basketball days because of the mileage he will have logged to keep them competitive.

There is currently no one on the Chicago Bulls’ roster whom anyone can say will become a star within the next five seasons. Some solid role players are present in Denzel Valentine and Bobby Portis. Question marks follow everyone else the Bulls have.

That could be due to the fact that the Bulls tried to be competitive in two seasons when it would have been better for them to be in the draft lottery. Becoming a lottery team would at least opened up the opportunity to get better talent.

This past season, the Bulls made the playoffs when they could have folded, only to be eliminated in the first round. The year prior, an opportunity to trade Pau Gasol came about, but the Bulls pulled back from the offer. They would eventually miss the playoffs altogether but had terrible odds in the draft lottery.

Much of what the Chicago Bulls decide to do with Jimmy Butler come be revealed after the front office reportedly meets with him (courtesy of the Chicago Tribune) next week.

It is expected that the Bulls’ brass will talk to Butler about the direction of the team. It is also likely that they will go over their plans to shape up the roster. If the Bulls want Jimmy Butler to stay as they have hinted, they will ask for his input.

With the NBA draft approaching, that input could also include which player to take. Who the Chicago Bulls select and how they perform next season will give a bird’s eye view on where the Bulls are headed. Those Jimmy Butler trade rumors are still too loud to ignore.

[Featured Image by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images]

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