The speculation in the moments leading up to this year’s NBA Draft was incessant, and some of the rumors, eye popping.
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And put up they did.
All-Star swingman Jimmy Butler was relocated to the Minnesota Timberwolves after more than a year of simmering trade talks involving Butler, who reunites with former coach Tom Thibodeau.
As expected, the NBA Draft found many teams moving around players and picks to position themselves to contend next season. If Bulls fans weren’t angry and confused by then, they made up for lost time immediately.
Minnesota sent Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and the 7th overall pick in tonight’s draft to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for star guard Jimmy Butler and the 16th overall pick.
The Timberwolves got the 16th overall pick in return, which they used to select Justin Patton, the center out of Creighton University.
Markkanen certainly impressed ESPN analyst Jay Bilas, who’s seen it all at the college and pro level. Minnesota figures to have just more than $20 million to spend. In 47 games he averaged almost 19 points on 46% shooting from the field. Zach LaVine seemed to make progress, but coming off an ACL injury is always tricky, and he’s due an RFA extension after next season. Everything’s been positive with me.
“It’s one of those moments where the excitement of tonight has to carry forward to the work that has to come”, Lee said. I can’t say that it caught me off guard. “If there are negative people around me, I just try to distance myself from that”. “Trust the Process” read a sign.
Butler is gone. Hoiberg remains. Their team now has direction. But the DPE is the ultimate contract, the so-called “super max” created to help teams keep their star players. While the Bulls definitely got the short end of the stick and a lot of responsibility will fall on veterans Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo, the Timberwolves may now have the pieces to contend for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. Paxson and Forman couldn’t care less.
Markkanen finished in the top five in UA freshmen history in scoring, rebounding, 3-pointers, free throws and free throw percentage. The Bulls better hope they hit on at least one, otherwise they’re looking at a potential sixth man who can score and not provide much else, along with a rotation player, respectively. I know the things that are important to him. I can’t say I didn’t do that. They weren’t convinced I wasn’t good enough – whatever you want to call it, I don’t know.
The Miami Heat superstar was reportedly on a vacation with Butler when news about the Bulls letting go of Butler broke out. Jimmy Butler did not like the way his situation was handled but the Bulls did him a big favor sending him to a team on the rise. “It’s time for them to get better, to get more serious, and Thibs is ready to go now”.
“We’ve always said to everybody there’s a possibility we can trade you”.
Bovada has released their betting odds for the victor of the 2018 NBA Championship and as you’d expect, Golden State (2/3) and Cleveland (3/1) have the best odds in the Western and Eastern Conference, respectively. Butler craves a hard-ass coach.
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Let the process begin.
