Sources: Bulls offer Butler max, other options
The Chicago Bulls offered Jimmy Butler a maximum five-year, $90 million contract Monday, leading the restricted free agent to postpone meetings with several other teams as he decides how many years to re-sign with the Bulls for, sources said.
Butler could do a four-year deal with a player option after three years to capitalize on new salary-cap money. The Bulls also offered him a one-year qualifying offer of $4.5 million, sources said.
Under rules of the collective bargaining agreement, the Bulls’ two offers mean if Butler were inclined to sign with another team, the minimum length of that contract would be three years.
After receiving the max offer Monday, Butler postponed meetings with the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers and Dallas Mavericks, sources said.
Butler had one of the biggest breakout seasons in recent memory this past season for the Bulls, becoming an All-Star for the first time, while averaging 20.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists a game. He became one of the best two-way players in the game and guarded the opposition’s best perimeter player on a nightly basis.
Bulls executive vice president John Paxson was already on record as saying the team would match any offer sheet Butler would sign this summer, but the hope within the organization was that it could work out a deal beforehand.
Free agency starts Wednesday.
ESPN.com’s Nick Friedell contributed to this report.
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