Chicago

Bulls Trade Rumors Shift Again: Wade to Stay, But Will Butler Go?

Trade rumors surrounding Jimmy Butler are sprouting left and right, but amid reports that Dwyane Wade will be staying with the team, it appears Butler may be sticking with Chicago too.

CSN's Vincent Goodwill reports that sources confirmed Butler told the Cleveland Cavaliers he wants to stay with the Bulls. 

Multiple reports have surfaced in the last few months speculating on potential trades for Butler, but the beloved All-Star has repeatedly said he intended to stay in Chicago, even telling Jimmy Kimmel earlier this month that he was happy with the team.

That was, until the Cleveland Cavaliers came into the mix.

Joe Cowley with the Chicago Sun-Times reported earlier Tuesday multiple sources in Cleveland say Cavaliers players, including LeBron James and Kyle Irving, reached out to Butler.

The news follows a report from ESPN’s Marc Stein that Cleveland was attempting to come up with a deal for the Bulls star. Previous rumors have hinted at a potential trade with the LA Lakers, Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns and Minnesota Timberwolves. 

In the middle of the trade rumor chaos, Dwyane Wade reportedly informed the team he would use his nearly $24 million player option to return to the team next season. 

The 12-time All-Star and three-time champion had previously said he was waiting for management to set the direction of the franchise, but multiple reports said Tuesday he had decided to stay with the team. 

Still, Tuesday night Wade tweeted that if he had the same numbers at age 25, he'd be making a shockingly different salary. 

"18.3 points a game in 29mins on 43% shooting at 35 years old," he wrote. "If I'm 25 with the same numbers I'm getting 150 million #Fading #petty." 

Wade's contract option was one of the biggest issues hanging over the Bulls after they entered the offseason following a 41-win season and first-round playoff exit against Boston.

Now the Bulls need to decide if they're going to build with Butler or go all in on a tear-down and trade one of the league's best two-way players. 

Paired up with Wade, Butler had another dominant season last year, averaging 23.9 points and 6.2 rebounds per game as he made yet another All-Star Game appearance for the team. 

Contact Us