King James Gospel
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5 trades the Cavs can make for Jimmy Butler

By Quenton S. Albertie

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 23: Jimmy Butler #23 of the Minnesota Timberwolves shoots a free throw against the Houston Rockets in Game Four of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 23, 2018 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 23: Jimmy Butler #23 of the Minnesota Timberwolves shoots a free throw against the Houston Rockets in Game Four of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 23, 2018 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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MINNEAPOLIS, MN – APRIL 23: Jimmy Butler #23 of the Minnesota Timberwolves shoots a free throw against the Houston Rockets in Game Four of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 23, 2018 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – APRIL 23: Jimmy Butler #23 of the Minnesota Timberwolves shoots a free throw against the Houston Rockets in Game Four of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 23, 2018 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Here are five trades the Cleveland Cavaliers can make for Minnesota Timberwolves star Jimmy Butler.

With the Cleveland Cavaliers still interested in acquiring the services of Minnesota Timberwolves four-time All-Star and two-way playmaker Jimmy Butler, King James Gospel has come up with five trades that will bring Jimmy Buckets back to the East.

Trade scenario #1

Cavs receive: Jimmy Butler

Timberwolves receive: Collin Sexton, Iman Shumpert, conditional first-round pick (CLE)

Kings receive: J.R. Smith, two second-round picks (CLE)

In this three-team trade, the Cleveland Cavaliers receive Jimmy Butler while trading away Collin Sexton, J.R. Smith and a conditional first overall pick.

The Timberwolves will receive Sexton, the Cavs’ conditional first-round pick and Sacramento Kings shooting guard Iman Shumpert while the Kings take on shooting guard J.R. Smith in exchange for two second-round picks.

This isn’t a trade that the Cleveland Cavaliers are likely to want to make.

Not only because trading away the future of the franchise for a player that has a low chance to re-sign, given his preference for large markets and metropolitan cities, seems foolhardy.

Trading away a conditional first-round pick, Smith and two second-round picks isn’t going to cause the Cavs any internal distress but if Butler walks next summer and they have no way to address the hole that they’ll once again have at point guard, then acquiring Butler simply was for the thrills and frills of one hopeful playoff run.

As the Timberwolves have seen, that’s not enough.