Jimmy Butler is one of the best two-way players in the NBA, but the Chicago Bulls apparently weren’t crazy about having him as the cornerstone of their franchise.
After six strong seasons in Chicago, the Bulls agreed to trade Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Kris Dunn, Zach LaVine and a swap of first-round picks in this year’s draft.
Turmoil within the Bulls’ organization had been rumored throughout the 2016Â campaign, and according to ESPN’s Zach Lowe, Butler and Chicago head coach Fred Hoiberg frequently weren’t on the same page.
“The Bulls were rather publicly uncomfortable with the idea of Butler as a foundational player,” Lowe writes. “Butler and Hoiberg never jelled, and at times, including around midseason, Butler’s bristling at Hoiberg’s instructions and calm personality made people on the team uncomfortable, a source said. That stuff will not happen with (Tom) Thibodeau. Butler craves a hard-ass coach. Hoiberg was never going to play to that type.”
If a hard-nosed coach is what Butler desires, he’ll get that in spades in Minnesota. The three-time All-Star will reunite with Thibodeau, his former Bulls coach, who is known for running a tight ship.
With Butler playing alongside star youngsters in Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, the Timberwolves are poised to be a legitimate playoff contender in the Western Conference. Chicago, on the other hand, looks like it’s in store for a lengthy rebuild.
Thumbnail photo via Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports Images
