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Houston Rockets: A trade for Jimmy Butler is not going to happen

By Brian K. Patterson

MIAMI, FL - OCTOBER 30: Jimmy Butler #23 of the Minnesota Timberwolves looks on during a game against the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena on October 30, 2017 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - OCTOBER 30: Jimmy Butler #23 of the Minnesota Timberwolves looks on during a game against the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena on October 30, 2017 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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The Houston Rockets are trying their hardest to land Jimmy Butler but it’s not going to happen. Why? Let’s talk more about it.

The Houston Rockets will partake in their last preseason game tonight against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedEx Forum and then it will be GO TIME for the 2018-19 season this Wednesday against the New Orleans Pelicans.  They will open the season up on their home court at Toyota Center.

This off season felt like a blur with plenty of action as well as anticipation as general manager Daryl Morey was — and always is — hard at work constructing the roster.  The Houston Rockets were still the news breakers with action happening all the way up to training camp.  Some of the signings came quick — the four-year, $160 million deal for Chris Paul as well as the additions of James Ennis and Michael Carter-Williams.

However, we had to wait nearly a month for Clint Capela to ink his five-year, $90 million pact and for all of the intricacies of Carmelo Anthony‘s buyout from the Atlanta Hawks to be completed and official by mid-August.

Plus, the coveted flip heard ’round the world involving Ryan Anderson and De’Anthony Melton for Brandon Knight and Marquese Chriss didn’t happen until late August.  Unloading Ryno will continue to be the gift that keeps on giving for the Rockets as it gives the team more cap flexibility — something Morey is dead-set on — for the near-future.

We can all thank former Phoenix Suns’ GM Ryan McDonough for signing off on such a notion but he unfortunately had to be the sacrificial lamb as he was fired from the organization earlier this week.  I would suppose trading for Ryno is a fire-able offense but I’m sure there’s more wrongdoing that McDonough did that warranted the Suns to change direction at such a critical position.

But anyhow, does Morey have another trade up his sleeve?  The latest rumors on Jimmy Butler being traded away from the Minnesota Timberwolves continue to stay hot but it seems as if the Houston Rockets are on the back burner, looking from the outside all the way in.

If there’s a will there’s a way for Morey but the latest reports indicate that the T-Wolves want Eric Gordon AND P.J. Tucker packaged in any deal for Butler which simply is too high of a price to bring him in.  I think having Butler here doesn’t get this team any closer to a championship than having the aforementioned two on this roster.

Tucker turned out to be a terrific fit for the Houston Rockets last season and although it’d be nice

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to have Butler in Rockets‘ Red, there’s just too much uncertainty.  This man is just coming off a torn meniscus suffered back this past February and although he looks like his old self, especially in the Houston Rockets‘ first-round matchup with the T-Wolves this past postseason, you have to wonder if it will be a concern for the future.

I have slight concerns on how his presence would affect chemistry but I think he’d be fine, surrounded by three sure-fire future Hall-of-Famers in Chris Paul, James Harden and Carmelo Anthony.  Plus, it’s extremely difficult to bump heads with Mike D’Antoni, one of the most laid-back, player-friendly coaches in this league.

But what am I talking about?  It’s NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.  Hell, I’ve seen stranger things happen, anybody remember Scottie Pippen‘s one-year stint with the Houston Rockets?  I’ll wait on a response and it’ll probably end with “dribbling the ball out of bounds in a critical first-round match up elimination game with the Los Angeles Lakers and a certain Kobe Bryant dunking all over him in the 1998-99 season opener!”

So yeah, there’s that but I’m going to stay tuned because you never know what could happen.  But you know what?  I’m happy with the guys we have and I’d like to test our new acquisitions out first before making any tweaks, which could be done at the February trade deadline.

I really hate to sound so laissez-faire with my convictions but I think it’s prudent just to let this thing play out first before dealing Gordon or Tucker.  We’ll have to see!

Next. The trade proposal that will bring Jimmy Butler to H-Town. dark

Butler, 29, averaged 22.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists with a shooting line of .474/.350/.854 through 59 games in 2017-18.

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