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Back in 2016 and 2017, when Danny Ainge was the head of the Boston Celtics and Jimmy Butler played for the Chicago Bulls, there were attempts to trade for Butler. Ainge revealed on the “Knuckleheads” podcast, hosted by former NBA players Quentin Richardson and Darius Miles, that the Bulls had shown interest in acquiring the Celtics’ draft picks that eventually turned into Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum in exchange for Jimmy Butler.

The Celtics selected Jaylen Brown as the third overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft and then picked Jayson Tatum as the third overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. However, the Chicago Bulls eventually traded Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves during the 2017 draft in a deal that involved Kris Dunn, Zach LaVine, and Lauri Markkanen.

Butler’s journey post-Bulls led him to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Philadelphia 76ers, and eventually the Miami Heat. With the Heat, he has been a significant contributor, leading the team to two NBA Finals appearances during his time there.

On the other hand, the Celtics have enjoyed great success with Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. The duo has helped the team reach four conference finals and one NBA Finals appearance.

Jimmy Butler’s career has been marked by impressive statistics, averaging 21.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.9 assists over 231 games with the Miami Heat. Both Brown and Tatum have also showcased their talents, with Brown averaging 17.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists, and Tatum averaging 22.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists during their time with the Celtics.