NBA Rumors: Lakers Prepared To Offer Max Deal To Bulls’ Jimmy Butler

Jimmy Butler and the Chicago Bulls will look for a third win over the Brooklyn Nets this season.

One of the most prized free agents this summer will be none other than Jimmy Butler of the Chicago Bulls. Although Butler will hit the open market, the reigning NBA’s Most Improved Player of the Year will be a restricted free agent giving the Bulls every opportunity to match any offer from opposing teams around the league.

Once Butler becomes a free agent, one of the teams expected to aggressively pursue the 25-year-old is the Los Angeles Lakers, according to Shams Charania of Real GM:

Outside of Chicago, teams are already preparing possible maximum-salary offer sheets for Butler in free agency, including the Los Angeles Lakers as one of several expected suitors, league sources told RealGM. Even Butler’s college area connection, the Milwaukee Bucks, will have cap space in July. Around the league, there’s a question: How will Chicago handle the inevitable max out of a star player not named Rose?

Currently, the Bulls have a 2-1 edge over the Cleveland Cavaliers in their second-round playoff series. Derrick Rose hit a game-winning shot to seal the deal for Chicago in Game 3 on Friday night at the United Center.

Along with Butler set to become a restricted free agent this summer, the Bulls face quite a bit of uncertainty moving forward. Head coach Tom Thibodeau appears to be on the hot seat in Chicago and may be fired in the offseason with the Bulls brass rumored to be determined to part ways.

If Thibodeau is sent packing in the offseason, there’s no telling what kind of impact that could have on the players currently on the roster. Although Butler and his teammates haven’t made any public comments about Thibodeau’s future, it’ll be interesting to see if it impacts player’s desires to stay in Chicago.