After the Chicago Bulls were bounced in the first round of the NBA Playoffs by the Boston Celtics, a crucial offseason began in the Windy City. Bulls’ centerpiece Jimmy Butler is the biggest and most consistent name that has been floating around in rumors all season long and we can expect the speculation to carry over into the summer.
Before Butler’s future is determined though, the Marquette product has decided to hire an agent after going without representation for the entirety of the 2016-17 campaign. Following from K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune:
If Jimmy Butler qualifies for the designated player exception before the 2019-20 season, he will have a new agent negotiating the deal.
Butler, without representation since last offseason, has signed with Bernie Lee. The Toronto-based agent has filed paperwork with the National Basketball Players Association to finalize the agreement and the Bulls were informed of the change during Butler’s exit meeting this week.
At 27, Jimmy Butler is in his prime and hiring an agent will be beneficial moving forward in his career. It helps that his new agent Bernie Lee also has previous ties with the franchise, having represented multiple ex-Bulls such as John Lucas III and Mike James.
While Butler has expressed interest in remaining with Chicago in the past, the bottom line is that the Bulls front office may be seeking a rebuild and cutting ties with their star wing could be the first step.
Teams across the association know this and the Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, and Boston Celtics even inquired about Butler’s availability prior to this past season’s trade deadline. The versatility and elite two-way play Butler brings is highly coveted around the league and players of his caliber aren’t made available often.
Now with representation, Butler can begin to work towards figuring out his bright future in this league, whether it be in Chicago or elsewhere.
