Jimmy Butler is back on the market — and joining a growing list of star trade targets for the Chicago Bulls to consider ahead of the Feb. 6 deadline. The six-time All-Star is making a push to leave the Miami Heat after six years and one NBA Finals run with the franchise. Butler is reportedly open to “anywhere other than Miami,” according to ESPN. He voiced a similar sentiment during Thursday’s postgame news conference. “I want to see me getting my joy back playing basketball,” Butler said. “Wherever that may be, we’ll find out here pretty soon. I’m happy here off the court, but I want to be back to somewhat dominant. I want to hoop and I want to help this team win and right now I’m not doing it.” If Butler is open to any destination, should the Bulls throw their hat in the ring? After weeks of a public back-and-forth between Butler’s agent Bernard Lee — who denied any discontent from Butler — and ESPN’s Shams Charania, the player’s admission made a splash. Butler could be an interesting prospect for teams who are interested in veteran secondary stars, like the Houston Rockets or Golden State Warriors. Butler is still averaging 17.6 points per game in his 14th year in the league. And in Chicago, his hefty contract would provide a plausible potential swap for Zach LaVine, who the Bulls acquired from the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Butler in 2017. But for the Bulls, the Jimmy days have likely passed. While he would certainly bolster a shaky defense and provide veteran scoring, Butler is in a different stage of life than the Bulls, who haven’t even fully completed the asset-dumping portion of a rebuilding process. Beyond that, this trade is well outside the Bulls’ means. Butler might say he’s willing to go anywhere, but he’s made it clear that contending is his ultimate goal — something the Bulls can’t promise anytime soon. The Bulls are also looking to recoup assets rather than send them out, which puts them in a poor position to negotiate a trade with the Heat front office. Zion Williamson headlines potential trade options Pelicans forward Zion Williamson looks for an opening past the Heat’s Haywood Highsmith and guard Dru Smith during the first half of a preseason game on Oct. 13, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) Okay, how about a younger star? The Bulls are seeking a new No. 1, someone whose flashy upside can serve as an anchoring cornerstone. Zion Williamson isn’t an outright guarantee to deliver on all of that, but he checks several important boxes including a comparable contract to offload LaVine’s matched with a lot of young potential. An ESPN report recently listed the Bulls as a potential landing spot for Williamson, 24, as the New Orleans Pelicans prepare to shop their former No. 1 overall pick. But there are plenty of reasons to be concerned. Williamson has struggled to stay on the court, missing the entire 2021-22 slate and averaging only 46 appearances per year in his other four seasons. And he’s been unable to maintain the explosive physicality that earned him fame as a high school and collegiate prospect. But it’s hard to deny that Williamson’s ceiling is still one of the highest among the young NBA stars. Despite his inconsistencies, he has never averaged fewer than 22 points per game and has earned two All-Star selections. The Bulls have not shown any outward interest in Williamson. But as the front office brainstorms options — frontcourt, backcourt, picks vs. players, etc. — for impending trades in the coming weeks, this is an interesting name to add to the debate. Denver Nuggets tied to potential Zach LaVine trade Bulls guard Zach LaVine walks to the locker room before a game against the Bucks at the United Center on Dec. 23, 2024. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune) Zach LaVine’s name is sure to be mentioned repeatedly between now and the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline. The first trickle of rumors surrounding the Chicago Bulls guard came in mid-December from The Athletic. The Denver Nuggets, seeking a secondary star to slot in next to Nikola Jokić, reportedly are eyeing LaVine, among others. The Nuggets have a slew of options in mind: the Washington Wizards’ Jonas Valančiūnas and Jordan Poole, Utah Jazz’s Jordan Clarkson, Brooklyn Nets’ Cam Johnson and Atlanta Hawks’ De’Andre Hunter, according to the report. But LaVine is an outlier among the group for two reasons. The first: LaVine is, hands down, the best scorer in that group. A two-time All-Star, LaVine has bounced back from injury to buoy the Bulls this season, averaging 21.7 points while shooting a career-best 42.8% from 3-point range. LaVine is day to day with back spasms, which held him out of Monday’s win in Toronto. But when available he’s a standout two-level scorer. Few players would offer a better lift for the Nuggets, who consistently struggle to find a source of offense when Jokić needs a couple of minutes of rest. But the second reason LaVine is an outlier is also why he’s the least likely trade option of the bunch: his salary. 8 New Year’s resolutions for Chicago basketball, including a Bulls decision on Zach LaVine and steps forward for Sky’s frontcourt LaVine is midway through the third season of a five-year maximum contract valued at $215 million. And the price tag — not his abilities — has prevented LaVine from being moved despite significant interest from both the Bulls and LaVine over the past year. To make a trade work, the Nuggets would need to send back a significant amount of salary to remain cap compliant. The most realistic options to complete a deal would be their top earners besides Jokić: Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon. The only player in that group the Nuggets likely would be willing to part with is Porter. The sixth-year wing is also in the third year of a five-year deal, but he would lighten the Bulls’ books by more than $7 million per year. Porter is a lower-volume shooter who offers less offensive punch than LaVine — but if draft capital is also involved, this could be the first step for the Bulls in navigating a complex roster overhaul. Still, it would be a hard sell to any team with the length (2½ seasons) and amount of LaVine’s contract left to pay out. Other players to watch Bulls center Nikola Vučević drives past Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels on Nov. 7, 2024, at the United Center. (Tess Crowley/Chicago Tribune) Nikola Vučević The center is playing out of his mind this season, shooting a remarkable 58.7% from the field, including 47.5% on 3-pointers. With his combination of accuracy and experience, Vučević looks like a steal at $20 million per year — and could be the easiest move for the Bulls to cash in on some draft stock. Lonzo Ball This one takes a little more trust. Ball has begun to return to his previous form as an elite passer and consistent defender, but he hasn’t been medically cleared to play more than 20 minutes per game. With each successful outing, however, Ball is moving the needle on potential interest around the league in the final year of his contract. Ayo Dosunmu, Coby White and Patrick Williams All three young players fit into the same category of potential trade assets for the Bulls: movable contracts, decent levels of development, consistency in their respective strengths — defensive versatility for Dosunmu and Williams, shooting and on-ball playmaking for White. Williams can’t be moved until Jan. 15 because of a restriction from signing his new contract over the summer. The Bulls are unlikely to part with their entire young core at this juncture, but attaching one of these players to a trade could be worth it — for the right price.