LA Sports Hub
Fansided

Los Angeles Clippers: Jimmy Butler trade is only smart as a precursor

By Jason Reed

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 20: Jimmy Butler #23 of the Minnesota Timberwolves looks on before the game against the Utah Jazz on October 20, 2017 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Jazz 100-97. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 20: Jimmy Butler #23 of the Minnesota Timberwolves looks on before the game against the Utah Jazz on October 20, 2017 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Jazz 100-97. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Los Angeles Clippers could be looking at the team’s next star in Jimmy Butler, who requested a trade from the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Despite losing all of Lob City, the Los Angeles Clippers front office has been adamant about avoiding a rebuilding phase and instead have accelerated the process and opened enough cap space for two max contracts.

While having the cap space but not guarantee anything, it is starting to shape up that the Clippers may, in fact, land at least one superstar in the relatively near future.

That is because Minnesota Timberwolves star Jimmy Butler has requested a trade with one more year left on his contract. Butler obviously has no plans to stay in Minnesota long-term and can get an even larger contract if he signs an extension with a new team that trades for him.

More from LA Sports Hub

Butler requested three teams to be traded to. The Los Angeles Clippers, New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets were the three teams mentioned. While the Timberwolves do not have to trade Butler to those teams, Minnesota would receive significantly more value from a team knowing that Butler is willing to sign an extension.

Thus, the Los Angeles Clippers are one of the favorites, if not the favorites, to land Butler’s services at some point before the 2018-2019 NBA season.

This is understandably exciting for Clippers fans, who right now, look at a team full of decent role players that together will only be good for about 30-35 wins. With Butler though, that win total will rise into the 40s.

And while Jimmy Butler will give the Clippers a decent shot at making the postseason as an eighth-seed in the Western Conference, he should not be the primary star that the Clippers are banking on.

Trading for Butler is a great move if it serves as a precursor to a bigger move next offseason. Whether that is signing Kawhi Leonard or trading for a second superstar does not matter.

What matters is that Butler is not the main course and is instead the appetizer to something bigger.

You could even make the case that Butler is not worth a max deal. He is not good enough to lead an NBA team to the NBA Finals. Butler is a bonafide all-NBA Third Team member that barely cracks most people’s top 20.

However, in the nature of the beast, the Clippers would have to give Butler that contract for him to stay because there would be some team out there that is star hungry that would be willing to pay up. So while Butler may be worth slightly less than that max slot, he is inevitably going to get it anyway.

As we alluded to, Butler barely cracks the top-20 when it comes to NBA talent. That is perfect to have on an NBA team that wants to compete for a title, just not as the main superstar.

Paul George didn’t win anything in Indiana, DeMar DeRozan never won anything in Toronto and LaMarcus Aldridge never won anything in Portland.

These three guys have been members of the All-NBA Third Team the past three seasons. And while they are all great players, none of them had success as a team’s number one option and all had to move into other systems.

Heck, DeRozan even had another All-NBA Third Team member in Kyle Lowry and Aldridge had a younger Damian Lillard and still couldn’t get it done.

The supporting cast of those teams, outside of maybe the George’s Pacers, is better than this current supporting cast in LA. In the day of multiple superstars, you simply cannot have Jimmy Butler be your top guy.

It didn’t work out for Minnesota last year, who lost in the first round despite having Butler, Karl-Anthony Towns and a nice supporting cast.

Next. How the Clippers can land Jimmy Butler. dark

It won’t work out for the Los Angeles Clippers. Go ahead, get Jimmy Butler, that is a great move. Just make sure it is not the only big move the team makes.

Home/Los Angeles Clippers