It’s no secret that the Chicago Bulls had discussed trading Jimmy Butler for the better part of a year. Whether it was more due to the not-so-symbiotic relationship between head coach Fred Hoiberg and his star or simply that the front office didn’t think that Butler could be ‘the guy’ on a championship contender, the former Marquette guard’s days in Chi-town were numbered.
After nearly trading for Butler on draft night last June, Tom Thibodeau pulled the trigger during the 2017 NBA Draft this past Thursday. By now, we’re all familiar with the deal: Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn, and #7 overall draft pick Lauri Markannen for Butler and Justin Patten, the #16 selection.