Woj: Rockets 'Aggressive' in Trade Pursuit for Jimmy Butler
When a deal to send Jimmy Butler from the Minnesota Timberwolves to the Miami Heat fell apart, it gave other teams like the Houston Rockets new life for a trade.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Rockets have "been aggressive in trading for Butler."
One of the big questions for teams looking to acquire Butler is the fact he can be a free agent next summer if he declines his $19.8 million player option for 2019-20.
While the guard has indicated he would sign a long-term deal with the Los Angeles Clippers, Brooklyn Nets or New York Knicks, none of those teams have come close to agreeing on a trade with Minnesota.
On the other hand, the Rockets are interested in the 29-year-old and know a deal now could give them a chance to get him for future seasons.
"Houston doesn't have the salary-cap space to sign Butler in the summer and needs to acquire him now to obtain his Bird Rights to retain him on a new deal in July," Wojnarowski wrote.
More importantly, adding Butler could give the Rockets a better chance of knocking off the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference. The four-time All-Star is one of the best two-way players in the league, averaging at least 20 points per game in each of the last four years while also earning a spot on four All-Defensive teams.
Putting him on a squad that was one game away from the NBA Finals a year ago could change the landscape of the league.
