LeBron James and the Cavs lost the arms race.

After upsetting the Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals, the Cavs watched Golden State acquire four-time scoring champion and former MVP Kevin Durant last offseason. Last week, the Warriors took care of Cleveland in five to capture their second title in three seasons. Adding Durant to a roster that included Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green made the Warriors simply too much for the King and all his men to seriously challenge.

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So, now, they're calling for reinforcements. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Cleveland players, including James and Irving, have been reaching out to Bulls forward Jimmy Butler, and the three-time All-Star is willing to push Chicago's management to make the deal happen.

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That's a stark contrast to frequent reports throughout the season, which stated Butler had ensured the Bulls' front office he wanted to stay in the Windy City.

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Butler, a Team USA teammate of Irving this past summer at the Olympic Games in Rio, would be more than a welcomed addition to a Cavs roster that struggled on the defensive end and always looked a pass behind against the Warriors in the finals. A three-time All-Defensive Team choice, Butler is widely considered the second-best two-way player in the league, trailing only the Spurs' Kawhi Leonard.

Butler has also gotten the job done offensively, increasing his scoring output in each of his six NBA seasons. The 27-year-old Texan averaged a 23.9 points to go along with 5.5 assists and 6.2 rebounds, all career-high figures. He'd certainly take some of the defensive burden off James, who'll turn 33 in December and led the league in minutes at 37.8 per game in 2016-17.

Chicago, which went 41-41 and reached the playoffs for the first time under second-year head coach Fred Hoiberg, would be left in shambles if its best player is dealt away. Veteran Dwyane Wade, despite reportedly intending to pick up a $24-million option, would likely bolt for greener pastures in the twilight of his career should Butler leave, immediately forcing the Bulls into a rebuild.

The Sun-Times also reported Irving would be willing to leave the only team he's ever played for next summer if James doesn't re-sign, adding he's already been communicating with other players about a potential landing spot. Chicago, given Butler remains with the team, is on his short list of possible destinations. Irving signed a five-year, 90-million extension in 2014, but could opt out of that deal at the end of next season.

According to the Sun-Times:

All-Star Kyrie Irving has been contacting some of his former Team USA teammates and letting them know that he might be willing to push for a trade, especially if he feels the Cavs’ run could end quickly with James able to opt out after next season. Through back channels, Chicago would be one of the places that Irving would be interested to play. Clearly the asking price for Irving would be too rich for what the Bulls have, and a third team would also have to be brought into that mix.

Butler is going into the third year of a five-year, $92.3 million max extension he signed in 2015. He's set to earn $17.5 million in 2017-18. He has a player option for the 2019-2020 season.