The Jimmy Butler sweepstakes has seen a familiar face emerge from the shadows. The Chicago Bulls have made their interest known but not to reunite with Butler, who began his career in the Windy City. Their involvement would include receiving Suns guard Bradley Beal in a potential blockbuster trade.
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NBA insider Brian Windhorst took to ESPN’s The Hoop Collective Podcast to share new trade rumors surrounding the Heat’s disgruntled star. Butler has made it evident that he desires a trade to the Suns, but it requires a third team’s participation. A few teams have thrown their names into the pot, including the Bulls, who have expressed interest in absorbing Beal’s lucrative contract. Windhorst said,
“What’s more interesting at the Bulls right now is they are absolutely involved in conversations with the Suns, involved in possible Jimmy Butler situations. Not that Jimmy Butler would end up in Chicago. If I’m talking about a three-team trade, and Butler is on one end, it’s not going to Chicago. We’re talking about Bradley Beal.”
Windhorst is unaware how deep the conversations between the Bulls and Suns have reached but reveals there have certainly been trade talks. A deal to land Beal in Chicago would require the Bulls to offload Zach LaVine. Since the Bulls’ involvement would be to complete a three-team deal, a hypothetical trade would send the Bulls star to the Heat.
The Bulls are looking to sell on their star players and fully commit to tanking. However, a deal to acquire Beal would not be a good move for their future.
Problem with Bulls trading for Beal
Aside from the 2021-22 season, the Bulls’ attempts to find success haven’t gone according to plan. They want to take a hard reset, but acquiring Beal would only complicate their issues further. Windhorst couldn’t believe that the Bulls would even consider accepting that deal.
“I just can’t believe that Chicago would do that deal,” Windhorst said. His co-host, Tim Bontemps, doubled down on that sentiment, expressing his opinion on a potential Beal-to-Chicago trade. “I hope they don’t because it would be one of the dumbest trades ever if they did,” Bontemps said.
The main reason the Bulls are looking to trade LaVine is to get worse and offload his $43 million salary this season. He is under contract for one more season and has a player option for the 2026-27 campaign. On the other hand, Beal is making $50 million this season and his contract continues to ascend.
The Bulls would put themselves in a financial stranglehold if they were to acquire Beal. There are other suitors if they are desperate to get rid of LaVine, but exchanging him for Beal would be a grave mistake for the organization.
