https://purpleandblues.com/2015/06/24/jazz-to-pursue-bulls-jimmy-butler-in-free-agency/
Why would we waste time pursuing this? Surely Bulls just match...
Jazz To Pursue Bulls' Jimmy Butler In Free Agency?
by Clint Peterson 9m ago
A reliable source has intimated that the Utah Jazz intend to pursue a Chicago Bulls restricted free agent, saying, “the Jazz are all in on Jimmy Butler.” Butler is the NBA’s reigning Most Improved Player. As a restricted free agent Chicago would have the right to match any offer tendered to the red hot wing who averaged 20 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals per game in 2014-15.
Jimmy Butler will surely attract several suitors for a max, or near-max contract offer this July 1, when NBA free agency begins. The Bulls have a guaranteed $60,160,202 on the books before paying Butler, and will have to fill out the minimum roster amount of players with Mike Dunleavy, Aaron Brooks and Nazr Mohammed likely departing the team.
Bulls ownership has before shown a willingness to clean house, so to speak, starting all over from the ground up, and just released Tom Thibodeau from duties in unsightly fashion in a very public spat.
Should the Jazz manage to convince Butler and the Bulls that he’s better off in Utah, Alec Burks — returning from injury and projected to start in 2015-16 — would almost definitely be moved to further bolster a weak Jazz bench.
Utah Jazz GM Dennis Lindsey has stated that he “has a free agent target in mind” already, and has shown a willingness to make aggressive moves in his short tenure in Utah.
It would take a front-loaded, “toxic offer” along the lines of what the Portland Trail Blazers offered to Paul Millsap of Utah in 2009 to make Bulls GM Gar Forman and owner Jerry Reinsdorf consider it, but the Jazz have the cap room and incentive to attempt it, as development is far ahead of schedule. Meanwhile, matching any such offer would tie the Bulls’ hands for a time, restricting their ability to pursue other free agents.
While it seems far fetched Utah could pull off such a deal, they have little to lose while flirting and courting such a fling, and Butler would be a great fit for the current situation for the Salt Lake franchise.
Why would we waste time pursuing this? Surely Bulls just match...