Jimmy Butler just dropped a bomb on the Minnesota Timberwolves, as he has reportedly requested a trade (Via NBA.com). The Wolves gave up a strong portion of their young core for less than a season worth of Butler, and now they are going to do everything to try and get some of that back.
There has been no concrete connection between the Boston Celtics and Butler, but speculation is always around the corner with Danny Ainge. The trade for Kyrie Irving last summer really came out of no where, and you cannot put anything past Ainge.
That being said, the circumstances still make it feel like a trade actually happening is next to impossible. The Celtics are in a much different place right now, and this isn’t the first time that Butler has been available.
Last time Butler was available, the Celtics still needed that blockbuster trade. A lot of top players were going for cheap, with all of the talent migrating West. The Celtics stayed patient through that and waited for their best option in Irving.
The Celtics did not jump on a potential Butler trade when they were out there looking for trades, making it hard to believe they will even be thinking about a Butler trade right now.
The rebuild has culminated, and the Celtics are in a position to contend right now and for the future. Things have worked out through the draft, free agency and trades in this rebuild, and there is no reason to threaten that, even for a player of the caliber of Butler.
What we know for sure, is that the Celtics are not breaking up any part of their top core for Butler. Irving, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Gordon Hayward and Al Horford are not going anywhere and it would be a surprise if the Celtics entertained trading any of those players.
The Celtics know they have a team they can win with, and even if Butler may be an immediate upgrade, it is still unclear as to the lasting impact that might have. The Celtics are beyond the point of taking risks, and any trade involving any part of that top core is the kind of risk that can threaten everything that has gone so well.
When you take those top players off the table, it feels silly to think the Celtics could have enough to make a trade, but Ainge has pulled off miracles in the past.
The Celtics still have some interesting young pieces on their bench, and a potentially valuable draft pick coming from the Kings. With a player like Butler involved, who expressed a willingness to sign an extension with the team he is going to, bench players and a draft pick do not sound close to enough.
Even so, the trade market for superstars was strange last offseason, and the Wolves have lost all leverage in this situation. The Celtics may not be able to offer a lot, but they still have something to offer.
Butler is the caliber of player that certain teams will have no problem busting up a young core, sending the Wolves the kind of return that they sent over to the Bulls. By looking at how that worked out for the Wolves, teams may be more hesitant to trade that kind of value for Butler.
If that is that case, and all the circumstances dry up the market for Butler, giving the Celtics a window to trade for him without breaking up their top core, there is yet another obstacle in the way.
By bringing in Butler, the Celtics would still be taking away part of the role of their young stars. We saw a special kind of potential with Brown and Tatum leading the team in the playoffs last season, and they are still one of the youngest duos in the NBA.
The two of them are in one of the most unique positions to grow as a player. They are good enough to be trusted in the key moments for a contending team, while still working on various parts of their game.
By bringing in Butler, the Celtics could hurt some of that development. It may not be too detrimental, and would not be a major factor in trade speculation. If, however, the Celtics are already hesitant, this is yet another great excuse to keep things as are and give this core the opportunities they have earned to compete for a championship.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
