Getty Images Jimmy Butler handles the ball against the Chicago Bulls.
The Minnesota Timberwolves’ search for an acceptable Jimmy Butler trade reportedly found them on the phone with the Milwaukee Bucks, seeking Khris Middleton in a potential package for the disgruntled four-time All-Star.
Per Chris Sheridan of Get More Sports:
I know that the Wolves called the Bucks and asked for Khris Middleton, and that was rejected. I also know that the Bucks are open to moving Malcolm Brogdon, and Eric Bledsoe and his expiring $15 million contract are enticing to many teams.
A Jimmy Butler Trade to the Bucks?
A straight Butler-for-Middleton swap wouldn’t work due to the NBA’s salary cap rules — the Bucks would have to send out more in salary. Milwaukee could swing the deal, however, if they included a less-appealing younger player like D.J. Wilson and his roughly $2.534 million owed for next year.
Considering how easy it would be to make the salaries match (and considering how disappointing Wilson was as a rookie in 2017-18), Milwaukee’s reported decision to turn the Timberwolves’ proposal aside says a lot about Middleton and the Bucks’ confidence in him.
Why Would the Bucks Decline?
Middleton, who turned 27 in August, took a leap last season, enjoying the most efficient scoring season of his career despite having more offensive responsibilities than ever; his 20.1 points per game, usage percentage of 24.6, and true shooting percentage of 57.7 were all career highs, and he managed to dole out four assists per contest despite starting with other playmakers like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Eric Bledsoe.
The Bucks wing, who’s also a solid defender, thought he’d get a nod as an injury replacement for the All-Star Game in 2018 after the Washington Wizards’ John Wall and the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Kevin Love went down with injuries. But NBA commissioner Adam Silver instead tabbed Andre Drummond of the Detroit Pistons and the Miami Heat’s Goran Dragic.
“It’s definitely disappointing,” Middleton told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in February. “I definitely felt I should have been an All-Star this year. If I wasn’t voted in by the coaches out front then I thought I should have been a replacement but they saw it a different way. I’m not going to let that kill my season. I’m not playing for just an All-Star (selection); I’m playing for the playoffs, a championship team.
“I definitely feel disrespected because of the numbers that I had and we had a good record. It is what it is at this point.”
Middleton has an option worth $13 million in 2019-20, the final year of his contract. Barring injury, he’ll likely be able to command more on a per-year basis in the summer of 2019, meaning he’ll probably become a free agent a year from now, when Butler will also hit the market.
Milwaukee wasn’t included on Butler’s list of preferred trade destinations. Swapping Middleton for the two-way star would produce a clear talent upgrade, but it seems Milwaukee is, understandably, more confident in their ability to retain Middleton, who’s younger by two years, than they are in their ability to re-sign Butler.