Jimmy Butler would be a better trade target than Paul George

If the Cleveland Cavaliers feel the inclination to make a blockbuster trade in the offseason, Jimmy Butler would be a better trade target than Paul George.

FS1’s Chris Broussard made headlines yesterday when he said that he could see Paul George joining the Cleveland Cavaliers. This King James Gospel post isn’t about George though, it’s about a better option for the Cavs if they want to make a blockbuster trade. Jimmy Butler.

Whether the Cleveland Cavaliers win the 2017 NBA Finals or not, the two players that everyone figures could be traded in any type of blockbuster trade are Iman Shumpert and Kevin Love. That’s why it’s possible that players like George and Butler, two incredibly talented wings, will be linked to the Cavs.

George is the better fit on the team.

He has experience playing shooting guard and both forward positions, he has excellent court vision which was on display in the first round of the 2017 playoffs, he’s a knockdown three-point shooter, a solid defender and when James is resting, or retired, George and Irving should be more than capable of dispatching opponents without needing the King’s presence.

On-the-court, there’s no reason the Cavs shouldn’t want him.

The only reason that Butler should be chosen instead of George is because of George’s desire to play with the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite the fact that George can win a title in Cleveland, the fact that George is a California-native who wants to play for his hometown team doesn’t inspire confidence in Cavs fans concerning the possibility of George making a long-term commitment to the franchise.

Consider that the Cavs would likely have to give up Love, Shumpert and more to put together a trade package that would outshine the youth and draft assets the Los Angeles Lakers would give up and the risk is simply too great to acquire George.

Especially when the Cavs already have a good thing going in Cleveland and are just trying to make future matchups with the Golden State Warriors a little easier.

If the Cavs acquire Butler, who is actually one of Irving’s best friends in the NBA, there won’t be such doubts about his commitment to the team.

Why would the Bulls make the trade?

First, with the Bulls acquiring Love, they don’t have to worry about re-signing and overpaying Nikola Mirotic. In fact, they’d be getting a player who is a far better three-point shooter, rebounder, scorer and passer, so they’d be upgrading.

Second, in trading for Shumpert (a Chicago-native) the Bulls will acquire a player who can provide elite defensive pressure on the perimeter like Butler, so while increasing their scoring at one position there’s no defensive drop-off on the wings.

Most importantly, by trading Love and Shumpert, the Cavs put up enough salary in the trade to take on the contract of Rajon Rondo.

Rondo’s time in Chicago, like it was in Dallas and Sacramento, was constantly dramatized and criticized until the Bulls, and the NBA fans, realized they needed Rondo to win. The constant distraction of Rondo and the inclination to make the playoffs and thus, play him, took away from their ability to develop younger prospects like Cameron Payne and Jerian Grant. Development that prospects like Payne and Grant need even moreso with Rondo entering the final year of his deal.

Paying $14 million for a player who will always cause a media circus, whose stalling the development of young players and who won’t be there past the season isn’t ideal.

On the Cavs, Rondo will come to a roster with what will soon be a hole at backup point guard. A role that will let him play beside the Cavs’ Big Three at times because of Irving’s success playing off-ball and the desire to get LeBron James some easy baskets. A role that will definitely see him commandeer the second-unit, where he’ll try to score at times, using the space he gets from Cleveland’s arsenal of shooters, but mostly a role in which he can be himself.

The play-caller, the engine, the floor general, the ultimate facilitator. A role he couldn’t have with the Bulls, a struggling franchise with two ball-dominant stars on the perimeter, but one he could have with the Cavs, a championship contender with two quasi-point guards who like operating off-ball.

This is all about Butler though.

Butler would come to the Cleveland Cavaliers and join a starting lineup featuring Kyrie Irving, J.R. Smith, LeBron James and Tristan Thompson.

To make up for Love’s three-point shooting, Smith will get more three-point shots and Irving may play off-the-ball just a tad more. There’ll also be more of a use for Channing Frye, whose impact is lessened by another sharpshooting big in the rotation.

There won’t be a way to truly replace 11.1 rebounds per game from Love but Butler averaged 6.2 rebounds per game last season while James averaged 8.6 rebounds per game. With James in the post more, like he is in the playoffs, James’ rebounding averages could jump to 11.3 rebounds per game like they did in the 2015 postseason as the Cavs got through the rest of the playoffs without Love.

Once the Cavs find out how they want to supplant Love’s shooting and rebounding, which is possible, they can look at what Butler’s addition does for the team.

To start, with Butler and James at the forward positions, the Cavs will be better defensively as Butler puts in more consistent effort on the defensive end than James and James is a stronger and more athletic defender than Love.

Offensively, because Butler can score from all three levels, score off-ball,  from a triple-threat position in isolation and all three levels, their offense is more dynamic.

Butler, who averaged 5.5 assists per game last season, is capable of being a playmaker, can hit his teammates with pocket passes out of a set just as well as Love and he can operate as the ball-handler in the pick-and-roll. The latter is what’s more exciting as the possibilities are endless.

This gives James and Irving the ability to pick-and-roll or pick-and-pop in ways they wouldn’t have had with Love trying to be the ball-handler because the threat of Butler on a drive is greater than that of Love’s. Players will have to choose whether they want to go under the screen so far as to give one of them a wide open three with isn’t ideal if Irving (or Smith) is the screener, if they’ll try to go over the screen which isn’t ideal if anyone of them is a screener.

In addition, James, Irving and Butler are all capable scoring from a post-up position whether they’re shooting a fadeaway, drop-stepping or simply pivoting for position to get the simple hook shot off.

In conclusion

While George can do anything that Butler can do it comes with no guarantees he’ll stay and it’s not like the Cavs need a trade. Therefore, that’s too much risk for a luxury move.

Butler, however, is already great friends with Irving and wants to be the best so, like Irving, he’d love learning “the blueprint” from the best player in the game.

If he angles for a trade, are the Bulls willing let Butler seethe in private rather than trade him and get fair value in return?

Maybe.

If they’re smart though, they’ll take the offer of two players in their prime with championship pedigrees. One voted as an All-Star this season and the other notorious for lockdown perimeter defense and the potential to be, like Avery Bradley, more than just a lockdown defender.

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