Report: Bulls trading Jimmy Butler to Timberwolves for Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn, No. 7

Jimmy Butler trade rumors heated up on draft night last year.

This year, they reached fever pitch.

Now, the Bulls are actually dealing him.

Marc Stein of ESPN:

The Wolves are close to acquiring Jimmy Butler from Chicago, according to league sources

— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) June 22, 2017

Sources say Minnesota's offer to Chicago for Butler was EXPECTED to include the No. 7 pick, Zach LaVine and Kris Dunn …

— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) June 22, 2017

K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune:

The Bulls have agreed in principle to deal Jimmy Butler to the Timberwolves, per source.

— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) June 22, 2017

The Bulls are getting Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and the 7th pick, per sources. Bulls keep 16th pick.

— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) June 22, 2017

Brian Windhorst of ESPN:

Wolves with get the No. 16 pick from Bulls in Jimmy Butler deal, sources said

— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) June 22, 2017

This isn’t nearly enough for Butler, a true star. He’s 27 and locked up for two more years.

Zach LaVine is a nice young player, but overrated due to his inflated points-per-game number. Kris Dunn looked passive on both ends of the floor as a rookie. The No. 7 pick comes in a relatively strong area of this draft, but Chicago is just trading up nine spots – not even acquiring an extra pick.

And the Bulls couldn’t have agreed to this trade before Dwyane Wade opted in and locked into a high salary that inhibits rebuilding?

Whether Chicago should have stuck with general manager Gar Forman or then-coach Tom Thibodeau a couple years ago has been debated and re-debated since the Bulls fired Thibodeau. This trade certainly indicates Thibodeau, now Minnesota’s president-coach, better knew what he was doing.