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With the Chicago Bulls struggling through a dismal stretch, there is reportedly a belief within the NBA that star forward Jimmy Butler could be the subject of trade talks.

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Celtics Prefer Player like Butler over Anthony

Wednesday, Feb. 8

When discussing a possible trade for Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reported that the Boston Celtics would prefer a "more well-rounded" star like Butler or Indiana Pacers star Paul George.

This goes in line with what K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune reported on Jan. 30, stating that some rival executives think the Bulls and Celtics may hold discussions involving Butler prior to the Feb. 23 trade deadline.

Butler was linked to the C's prior to and during the 2016 NBA draft, but Chicago opted to hang on to the three-time All-Star instead, per Wojnarowski.

Butler the Shining Star of Struggling Bulls

The Bulls made sweeping changes to their roster during the offseason, which included trading Derrick Rose and letting both Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah leave in free agency. The departed players were then replaced by guards Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo.

Chicago's new mix of players hasn't worked as well as expected. The Bulls are seventh in the Eastern Conference at 26-26, and they have dealt with plenty of turmoil lately.

Following a loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Jan. 25, Butler was highly critical of his teammates, per ESPN.com's Nick Friedell:

Motherf--kers just got to care if we win or lose. At the end of the day, do whatever it takes to help the team win. You play your role to the tee. Be a star in your role, man. That's how you win in this league, man. You have to embrace what this team, what this organization needs for you to do on either end of the floor. On top of everything else, just play every possession like it's your last. We don't play hard all the time. It's very disappointing whenever we don't play hard.

Wade also spoke out against his teammates, and both players were punished by being forced to come off the bench in a loss to the Miami Heat.

Despite the team's struggles, the 27-year-old Butler is enjoying his best statistical season to date with averages of 24.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.8 steals per game.

Trading Butler would mark the departure of Chicago's best player, but Johnson pointed out that Boston has some intriguing assets, including forward Jae Crowder, guard Marcus Smart and the Brooklyn Nets' 2017 and 2018 first-round picks.

Spotrac indicates that Butler is under contract for two more seasons before a player option kicks in for 2019-20, but with the Bulls making no headway in the winnable Eastern Conference, trading Butler now and maximizing value may represent the best way to ensure future success.