The Houston Rockets are renewing their interests in acquiring Minnesota Timberwolves four-time All-Star Jimmy Butler, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Per Wojnarowski, the Rockets are including four future first-round draft picks in their most recent offer.
The Houston Rockets are making a renewed bid to acquire Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star Jimmy Butler, including four future first-round draft picks in their most recent offer, league sources told ESPN.
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Houston’s push represents a desire to sacrifice some long-term roster flexibility and go all-in with a legitimate third star to partner with All-NBA guards James Harden and Chris Paul in pursuit of a championship.
The Rockets’ offer constitutes the maximum number of first-round picks allowable in a deal, factoring in league rules that necessitate no first-rounders can be conveyed in successive years, and no pick can be traded further out than seven seasons.
The lottery protections on picks in this proposed deal would be limited.
A key date to circle on the calendar in terms of Houston’s pursuit of Butler is Oct. 31, reports ESPN’s Zach Lowe. That is the two-month anniversary of Houston acquiring Brandon Knight and Marquese Chriss from the Phoenix Suns (for veteran Ryan Anderson). At that point, Houston could include one or both of their salaries into a trade package.
After all the disruption caused by Butler’s trade request that became public a week before training camp began, no deal has been made.
According to multiple reports, Butler and Wolves owner Glen Taylor reached an an agreement that boils down to the Wolves continuing to seek a trade for Butler and Butler agreeing to play up to par. Taylor confirmed as much in an interview with the Star Tribune’s Sid Hartman on Tuesday.
Per Wojnarowski, Taylor may have more interest in future Draft picks than president of basketball operations and coach Tom Thibodeau does. However, those picks could become important trade assets for the Wolves to use in other deals or may provide incentives to additional teams to take on the hefty contract of big man Gorgui Dieng in a trade.
Butler, 29, is averaging 24.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 3.8 steals in his first four starts this season.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
