The rumors continue to swirl about futures of All-Stars Jimmy Butler and Paul George. Both players remain under contract for their respective teams, but there’s a fair amount of a speculation that a trade could be coming with one or both of these veterans potentially playing elsewhere next season.
According to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune, Butler will be meeting with the Bulls brass next week to talk about his future:
Those same sentiments are expected to be put forth as early as next week with Butler due back in Chicago after spending the last month training in Los Angeles. A source said Butler, who is scheduled to leave for Europe later this month and continue his training there, is expected to meet with management after only having a brief exit meeting on April 29, the day after the Celtics bounced the Bulls from the playoffs.
At this point, Butler doesn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. The three-time All-Star made it clear on Jimmy Kimmel Live last week that he wants to stay with the Bulls when asked whether he’d consider joining the Los Angeles Lakers.
Along with Butler seemingly being all-in on staying with the Bulls long-term, the front office in Chicago also appears to want to keep the 27-year-old rather than trade him. Both sides continue to say all the right things regarding the immediate future with the team wanting to improve the roster with Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo more than likely back in the fold next season.
Although all signs point to Butler staying in Chicago, that could very easily change this summer. The Bulls brass will almost certainly receive trade calls for Butler and could give potential offers serious consideration if it makes more sense to rebuild with younger players rather than sticking the current roster.