There’s only one sport in the world that a team would hesitate when four first-round draft picks are offered for a player who wants to be traded anyway.
Sadly, that sport is basketball, and four first-round picks for Jimmy Butler, the offer that’s on the table from Houston, according to a report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, sounds a lot sexier than it actually is.
The Rockets are one of the best teams in the NBA and adding Butler would only make them better. The picks would be spread over seven years, per NBA regulations, but based on how talented the Rockets are, they’ll still be good in seven years, meaning those picks have a good chance to be in the back end of the first round of each draft, a place where future star players are rarely selected.
Sure, Butler is one of those rare picks, taken 30th overall by the Bulls in 2011. But there haven’t been many star-caliber players selected 20th or lower since 2008.
- DeAndre Jordan 35th to the Clippers in 2008
- Hassan Whiteside 33rd overall to the Kings in 2010
- Isaiah Thomas 60th overall to the Kings in 2011
- Draymond Green 35th overall to the Warriors in 2012
- Khris Middleton 39th overall to the Pistons in 2012
- Rudy Gobert 27th overall to the Nuggets in 2013
- Clint Capela 25th overall to the Rockets in 2014
- Nikola Jokic 41st overall to the Nuggets in 2014
- Kyle Kuzma 27th overall to the Lakers in 2017
Could they get lucky and hit on a star like the Spurs did with Tony Parker 28th overall in 2001? Absolutely, but the odds of finding a star with the picks Houston is willing to part with are about as good as anyone’s chances in Saturday night’s $750 million Powerball drawing.
Wolves owner Glen Taylor is on record saying he’ll honor Butler’s trade request, likely sending him away before the NBA’s trade deadline strikes in February.
It gets complicated if Minnesota is having a lot of success at that point. Would they punt on their chances this season in order to get something for Butler, who can leave as a free agent after the season?
Still no indication wolves are close to saying yes to any offers. Things can change quickly, of course. But wolves have been holding firm and that hasn’t changed
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) October 25, 2018
Butler is averaging 24.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 3.8 steals in four games this season.
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