2. Mortgaging the future for a Jimmy Butler rental
There are so many variables to each of these trades. And, looking back on trades years down the road makes them far easier to grade. In the moment, this felt like a fine acquisition. However, as just about everyone in the basketball world knows, the Jimmy Butler era in Minnesota was nothing short of a catastrophe.
Even though they didn't hold onto Lauri Markkanen for long, the Bulls are on the winning side of the deal. Chicago also received Zach LaVine and Kris Dunn for Butler and the 16th pick which turned out to be seldom-used big Justin Patton.
Butler entered the league as a late first-rounder and mightily improved as a Chicago Bull. He turned into a go-to scorer from once being only touted as an outstanding defender. Coincidentally, as Butler had run his course in Minnesota, something similar had happened two years prior in Chicago.
The six-time All-Star clashed with head coach Fred Hoiberg and didn't mesh with the roster post-Tom Thibodeau. From the Bulls' point of view, this trade felt like a massive risk. Dealing Butler for an injured LaVine, an underperforming guard (Dunn), and a rookie was questionable. Fortunately for the Bulls, both LaVine and Markkanen were slam dunks.
While Chicago reaped the benefits of an infusion of youth, the Timberwolves only employed Butler for 69 games. And to make matters worse, Patton was unplayable. Minnesota could've selected Jarrett Allen, John Collins, OG Anunoby, Kyle Kuzma, Derrick White, or Josh Hart in the 2017 draft. All in all, ditching youth for a Butler-rental set the Wolves back a few years.