NBA Rumors: Whispers from Around the League on Jimmy Butler and More

The Cleveland Cavaliers revamped their roster, and the Memphis Grizzlies reportedly acquired Jeff Green to bolster their small forward spot, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. Meanwhile, there are still plenty of trade rumors floating around the Association.

The best part for NBA fans is that it’s still early January. We are just getting started with roster moves and rumors between now and the trade deadline in February. 

Here is a look at the latest rumors from around the Association.

Jimmy Butler

David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune provided an update on the Chicago Bulls and Jimmy Butler:

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They fully expect to sign Butler to a max deal next July before another team even gets involved to tempt him with an offer sheet, which the CBA says they can after the moratorium ends. They accept that the size of Butler’s contract will put the Bulls in position to pay the luxury tax, something Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf says he will do for a championship contender his team is.

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Sometimes teams just have to accept paying the luxury tax if it’s for the right player, and Butler has been that player for the Bulls, especially this season.

He is only 25 years old, with his best years theoretically ahead of him, and is averaging 21 points, 3.4 assists and 6.3 rebounds a night, all career highs. He has also kept the Bulls afloat while Derrick Rose struggles to fully recover from various injuries.

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

It is not just that Butler is a legitimate offensive weapon now that makes him so valuable. He guards the opponent’s best player every single night, which can be physically exhausting in this league, and leads the league in minutes per game. He is a workhorse who is there every single night for this team on both ends of the floor. 

It is no wonder that Butler is seen as a potential max-contract guy for the Bulls.

Los Angeles Clippers

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

Dan Woike of the Orange County Register passed along the latest from the Los Angeles Clippers:

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Boston small forward Jeff Green appears headed to Memphis, and like most small forwards on the trade block, he was on the Clippers’ radar. Green could have potentially been in a deal for Matt Barnes, Jamal Crawford and a first-round pick – likely the Clippers’ 2019 selection – but that was a cost the Clippers didn’t want to pay.

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This is an interesting development, to say the least. The Clippers clearly need some help at small forward behind Matt Barnes (or in place of him) in a lineup that includes superstars like Chris Paul and Blake Griffin.

Chris Carlson/Associated Press

Barnes is a productive player, but it is hard to argue that he stacks up to small forwards for other title contenders like Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, LeBron James or even Butler (who does play some small forward when Rose and Kirk Hinrich are in together).

Still, giving away Barnes, Jamal Crawford and a first-round pick is a large price to pay, especially since Crawford is third on the team in scoring and the only bench player who is averaging better than 6.2 points per game. The bench offense runs through his ability to hit perimeter shots and even create for his teammates, and trading Crawford would be crippling for the team’s depth.

Clippers coach Doc Rivers discussed the rumors surrounding Crawford, via Rowan Kavner of NBA.com: “The fact that Jamal’s name is being mentioned, this is the first I’ve heard, literally right now. I don’t get into it. I let all you guys. You’re going to ask about every rumor that’s out there.” 

That doesn’t sound like the Clippers are looking to trade Crawford anytime soon.

Cleveland Cavaliers 

Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press

Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders provided an update on the Cleveland Cavaliers:

The journey that the Cavaliers have undertaken from the summer to now is absolutely fascinating. They were the talk of the league after LeBron James decided to return home and they acquired Kevin Love in a trade. Suddenly, the new “Big Three” resided in Cleveland with those two and Kyrie Irving.

However, Cleveland has not run through the league like many expected, and it drastically reshaped its roster over the past week. It traded away Dion Waiters and some future draft picks in different moves and brought in J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert and Timofey Mozgov.

All of this has happened while James has been out with injury, so it will be interesting to see how the team molds together after James returns to the floor. Considering the Cavaliers are 1-7 without James, they could certainly use him.  

Ultimately, the goal is still an NBA championship, but it is noteworthy that Cleveland may not be done changing the roster considering how many changes have happened already. Stay tuned, because whatever the result is, it is bound to be intriguing.

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