I remember posting a thread years back during Ben's rookie season asking would you trade him for Gordan Hayward and the response was similar to this with the majority saying no. While I really like WCS (I don't think he was even the 6th best player in the draft currently) I don't really understand why we would not trade him for Butler who's way better at the thing WCS does best (defense) and a 20ppg guy who when healtty has lead teams to the playoffs. Had we drafted Myles Turner/Zinger/Booker I would understand not wanting to trade them for Butler but WCS yes you do.
The good thing with Butler is if Cousins keeps messing up you still have a legit star on the team once you trade Cousins for assets which means you get more young players with similar or equal potential of WCS. If Cousins/Butler works out you got one of the meanest 1-2 punches in the NBA and you try find a athletic long big who can block shots off the bench.
What's more rare a 20ppg lockdown defender in his prime who leads teams to the playoffs or a talented up and coming athletic bigman who looks like he will be a 10-15ppg 2-3bpg type player. I want WCS on the team no doubt but if you can get Jimmy I'd move him.
Than again maybe I'm always overrating opposition players and underrating our guys but for years I've seen a trend where guys like JT/Ben/DC whatever trade you put out for them we are always giving up to much.
I kinda saw this coming.
Yes I'm always a bit on the reluctant side, when it comes to trading recent lottery picks. I don't now if I was one of the guys, who didn't want to give up on Ben for Hayward, but I can hardly imagine I was. After all Gordon Hayward is one of the best two way players in this league.
Now Butler is also in the same category. Great, versatile two way player, so yes I completely understand, why you wouldn't think twice if the Bulls would be willing to consider any offer from the Kings not including DMC.
And we are in the same boat: After one season WCS doesn't look like one of the 6th best players in this draft, when you take an all around approach. From my point of view guys like Turner, Booker, Johnson are clearly ahead as overall basketball players.
But we have to take coaching into account. With the exception of Booker, those guys had a great organisation to help them. Willie on the other hand.....
But there is one thing about Willie, that makes the situation different for me than a potential Ben for Hayward swap in the past.
Willie is maybe the most physically gifted 7footer I ever saw for the current playstyle of this league. I never understood the Tyson Chandler comparisons, because I see Willie more as a perimeter, help defender hybrid on the defensive end than as a true defensive anchor in the paint. Guys like Towns, Zinger or even Turner (the strange running motion really makes him look a lot slower than he actually is) are great, but they don't move like Willie (I don't care one bit about his shotblocking stats or anything else than his ability to stay in front of a lot of guys on D and his length to bother shots).
And I personally really like the idea to exploit this gift to the fullest to form a great defensive team.
With Willies potential to stay in front of guards, wings and small ball 4's, with his unmatched speed in transition it becomes really difficult to outrun and outsmallball the Kings. Give us a PG, that's on the bigger side for his position (I love Marcus Smart, but I know he is a mediocre offensive player and most likely isn't available ), and a couple of solid wings and we could switch any pick&roll not including DMC. That's huge versus all the borderline illegal screens nowadays.
And if (and that's actually the very BIG if) Willie somehow learns to use his size on offense we could be able to gain the upper hand even versus small perimeter teams. And versus bigger guys Willie already showed he is able to blow by them, to outrun them up and down the floor and to finish over them with hooks. That with a couple of guards, that are good enough to force switches and exploit them would be dangerous for any team.
I know, I know...a lot of if's, a lot of wishful thinking. Maybe Butler is the save route (if he is even available to that package) and you won't hear me complain, when we assemble a team close to that lineup I mentioned above.
But a man needs dreams to keep his optimism during rough times.