Cavs Rumors: Cleveland Was Close To Acquiring Jimmy Butler Before David Griffin Left Team

Questions about LeBron James' future with the Cleveland Cavaliers have centered around his frustrations with the franchise, the main of which being their lack of offseason moves. He wanted the team to improve their roster after losing to the Golden State Warriors in the Finals and is reportedly mad they weren't able to do so.  

However, according to Sam Amick of USA Today, former general manager David Griffin had a deal in place that would have brought Jimmy Butler to the Cavs, but it fell through when Griffin and the team parted ways that same day.

Further exacerbating James’ frustration is the Cavs were close to making a deal for then-Chicago Bulls All-Star Jimmy Butler the day Gilbert decided to mutually part ways with Griffin and Redden, two people familiar with negotiations told USA TODAY Sports. They requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the negotiations.

Cleveland was trying to trade for either Butler or Paul George, yet weren't able to get a deal done for either. Butler was dealt to the Minnesota Timberwolves during the NBA Draft and George was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder the night before free agency started.

Several teams already plan to make a run at James when he becomes a free agent, namely the Philadelphia 76ersLos Angeles LakersLos Angeles Clippers. James already owns a home in Los Angeles and trains there in the offseason.

LeBron averaged 26.4 points, 8.7 assists and 8.6 rebounds per game this past season.

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Related Topics: Cavs Rumors, NBA Rumors, David Griffin, Jimmy Butler, Lebron James