Tim Bontemps predicts Jimmy Butler will be traded to Boston

[PhoSita]

I would not blow the whole trove of assets on Butler, but I think he and Crowder could make a really scary wing combo, especially defensively. 

Add an elite two-way big man (not an easy thing to do) and we'd be in business.

[Moranis]

I would not blow the whole trove of assets on Butler, but I think he and Crowder could make a really scary wing combo, especially defensively. 

Add an elite two-way big man (not an easy thing to do) and we'd be in business.

you mean like Dwight Howard

[Irish Stew]

Butler is virtually a nobrainer, just go ahead and do it. A player like Howard is more complicated but is the kind of aggressive move that I like and, more importantly, Danny likes. One serious problem is that there is so much liquidity out there because of the salary cap rise, he is more likely to be way overpaid than underpaid, with too much cap space chasing too little talent.

[walker834]

I don't think jimmy butler is a no brainer that's the thing.  That sort of mentality of selling ourselves short just because player A is better than player B is what the celtics don't want.  I still like to think the celtics are trying to build a culture here.  We need more talent but I think this draft is pretty strong for guards. I like our guard play in general and how we share the ball.  I made this post for that reason. If we could pick up a good young scorer and get a big man like Love that would be better imo and leave room to add another piece.  What we need is our guard play with better big men imo. Butler could maybe work in a bigger trade though.

http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=84153.0

I'd rather get the players we want vs drafting or trading for stars we don't.  I'd be more than happy to utilize Butler that way to get something better.

Why are we giving up valuable assets for Jimmy Butler?  How does that fit into the bigger picture?

[PhoSita]

I would not blow the whole trove of assets on Butler, but I think he and Crowder could make a really scary wing combo, especially defensively. 

Add an elite two-way big man (not an easy thing to do) and we'd be in business.

you mean like Dwight Howard

I dunno if he's "elite" on the offensive end anymore, but yeah, I think that'd be good enough, so long as Butler, Thomas, and Howard are healthy and prepared to play big minutes.

[walker834]

Jaylen Brown to me in this draft is a better option than jimmy butler and we don't have to give up anything for him except selecting him.

[Lucky17]

Jaylen Brown to me in this draft is a better option than jimmy butler and we don't have to give up anything for him except selecting him.

How many years away from Butler's current level is Jaylen Brown?

Edit: This is not a rhetorical question. I'm genuinely looking for an answer here.

[walker834]

We have AB and Smart though developing. Brown to me would be perfect as a sparkplug behind guys like that and crowder.  I'd rather have Love and Brown than  whatever big we take and giving up valuable assets for Butler.

you don't give up those assets for jimmy butler.  You give them up for Kevin Love or someone like that.

Trading big for small in some roundabout way.  Butler is not worth giving up valuable assets.

Isaiah and Butler aren't going to beat Lebron's super team.

[alldaboston]

Jimmy Butler for a 42 win Bulls team:  20.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.6 steals, 45%/31%/83%
Ricky Davis for a 33 win Celtic team:  19.7 points, 5.3 assists, 4.5 rebounds, 1.2 steals, 46%/32%/79%

Neither made the playoffs.   Butler had former MVP Derrick Rose, 6x All-star Pau Gasol, last year's ROY runnerup Nikola Mirotic and a solid bench of players like Taj Gibson. 

I wouldn't mind bringing in Butler, but I'm not overpaying for premium-brand Ricky Davis.

Jimmy Butler for a 50-win Bulls team: 20.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.8 steals, 46.2%/37.8%/83.4%

Ricky Davis Career stats:  13.5 points, 3.3 assists, 3.5 rebounds, 1 steal 45%/36%/78% in 29.8mpg

Jimmy Butler Career stats:  13.6 points, 2.6 assists, 4.5 rebounds, 1.4 steals, 45%/33%/81% in 31.2mpg

Dude cmon now. You know you're just using career stats to have a (lame) reason to not want butler. You know jimmy didn't get a ton of time in his earlier years, and was only getting PT for his defense, right?

[Vox_Populi]

I would rather spend the Brooklyn pick on Butler than Okafor, that's for sure.

[LarBrd33]

Jimmy Butler for a 42 win Bulls team:  20.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.6 steals, 45%/31%/83%
Ricky Davis for a 33 win Celtic team:  19.7 points, 5.3 assists, 4.5 rebounds, 1.2 steals, 46%/32%/79%

Neither made the playoffs.   Butler had former MVP Derrick Rose, 6x All-star Pau Gasol, last year's ROY runnerup Nikola Mirotic and a solid bench of players like Taj Gibson. 

I wouldn't mind bringing in Butler, but I'm not overpaying for premium-brand Ricky Davis.

Jimmy Butler for a 50-win Bulls team: 20.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.8 steals, 46.2%/37.8%/83.4%

Ricky Davis Career stats:  13.5 points, 3.3 assists, 3.5 rebounds, 1 steal 45%/36%/78% in 29.8mpg

Jimmy Butler Career stats:  13.6 points, 2.6 assists, 4.5 rebounds, 1.4 steals, 45%/33%/81% in 31.2mpg

Dude cmon now. You know you're just using career stats to have a (lame) reason to not want butler. You know jimmy didn't get a ton of time in his earlier years, and was only getting PT for his defense, right?

Yeah, I also know I've seen articles from Bulls fans who said his defense cratered once he was given a larger offensive role. 

Honestly, I haven't watched enough of Butler to really have a major opinion one way or the other.  Did you guys watch a ton of Bulls games this year?  I just know what I've read about him.  I'm fine with bringing him in, but I wouldn't overpay for him. 

As a 23 year old Ricky Davis put up Butler-esque stats of 20.6 points, 5.5 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals... It was his 5th season.  He was an effective player for a number of years.

This was Butler's 5th season.  The 26 year old has game.  Davis was a bit of a headcase (though I've heard Butler has a little of that in him as well) and Butler is widely believed to be a better defensive player (though playing for a team with an elite defensive identity impacted that a bit).   I'm not saying Davis was better than Butler.  I'm just saying that we've seen guys put up big stats for losers in the past.   I wouldn't mind trading for Butler if the price is right.  I wouldn't hold my breathe on him being the franchise player the team needs.

[Celtics4ever]

Thanks for posting, Drucci, TP!

[Evantime34]

Jimmy Butler for a 42 win Bulls team:  20.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.6 steals, 45%/31%/83%
Ricky Davis for a 33 win Celtic team:  19.7 points, 5.3 assists, 4.5 rebounds, 1.2 steals, 46%/32%/79%

Neither made the playoffs.   Butler had former MVP Derrick Rose, 6x All-star Pau Gasol, last year's ROY runnerup Nikola Mirotic and a solid bench of players like Taj Gibson. 

I wouldn't mind bringing in Butler, but I'm not overpaying for premium-brand Ricky Davis.

Jimmy Butler for a 50-win Bulls team: 20.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.8 steals, 46.2%/37.8%/83.4%

Ricky Davis Career stats:  13.5 points, 3.3 assists, 3.5 rebounds, 1 steal 45%/36%/78% in 29.8mpg

Jimmy Butler Career stats:  13.6 points, 2.6 assists, 4.5 rebounds, 1.4 steals, 45%/33%/81% in 31.2mpg

Dude cmon now. You know you're just using career stats to have a (lame) reason to not want butler. You know jimmy didn't get a ton of time in his earlier years, and was only getting PT for his defense, right?

Yeah, I also know I've seen articles from Bulls fans who said his defense cratered once he was given a larger offensive role. 

Honestly, I haven't watched enough of Butler to really have a major opinion one way or the other.  Did you guys watch a ton of Bulls games this year?  I just know what I've read about him.  I'm fine with bringing him in, but I wouldn't overpay for him. 

As a 23 year old Ricky Davis put up Butler-esque stats of 20.6 points, 5.5 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals... It was his 5th season.  He was an effective player for a number of years.

This was Butler's 5th season.  The 26 year old has game.  Davis was a bit of a headcase (though I've heard Butler has a little of that in him as well) and Butler is widely believed to be a better defensive player (though playing for a team with an elite defensive identity impacted that a bit).   I'm not saying Davis was better than Butler.  I'm just saying that we've seen guys put up big stats for losers in the past.   I wouldn't mind trading for Butler if the price is right.  I wouldn't hold my breathe on him being the franchise player the team needs.

Those same Bulls fans probably would want more than anyone on this board would be willing to give for Butler.
I went on the Bulls reddit and asked them what they would conceivably want for Butler in a deal. The response was mostly "YOUR TEAM IS FULL OF ROLE PLAYERS WE DON'T WANT ANY OF YOUR ROLE PLAYERS"

With Thibbs gone and Noah hurt, Butler wasn't playing for a team with a defensive identity, he was the source of their defensive identity.

He's already a franchise player either first or second best at his position in the entire NBA.

[MBunge]

I'm just saying that we've seen guys put up big stats for losers in the past.   

Butler has been putting up big stats for a winning team, one that many have thought was the best challenge for LeBron before injuries derailed them.

I wouldn't oversell Butler but there's no need to undersell him.

Mike

[kozlodoev]

Don't overpay for butler unless it guarantees you Durant.  Butler is overrated.

Really?  I like Butler a lot.  And he plays offense and defense.

He's not the final piece but he could be part of a "big three".

Butler is Jae Crowder on steroids (figuratively, not literally). He's nice to have, but I don't think he's that much of an upgrade over Avery Bradley. And you also have to give up something for him. Just doesn't seem like a good idea.