I'm going to say neither and say Butler + Fultz instead.
Keep Fultz, and work out some kinda of package (2018 Brk 1st + Bradley + Crowder maybe) for Butler.
This deal is pretty close to what Chicago reportedly wanted for Butler this season, as apparently they wanted 2017 Brk 1st + Bradley + Crowder and Danny was willing to give up one of Bradley/Crowder but not both).
It's not quite the same value as the 2018 pick is not as certain as the 2017 pick was at the trade deadline, but Brooklyn are clearly hot garbage and aren't likely to be going very far up.
I'm a little concerned by the potential defensive limitations of a Thomas/Fultz/Hayward lineup (Fultz has defensive potential, but it can take rookie guards a year or two to pick up defence).
Having Butler in there instead of Hayward makes me feel a lot more comfortable defensively, and it also gives us more cap flexibility. Since we are only taking back $3M in extra salary, we would essentially have $26M - $27M in cap space left over to re-sign Olynyk and go after a starting big (Ibaka? Noel?) to start alongside Horford.
I feel this is the best option for Boston.
Again..didn't you listen to what Wyc/Danny have said recently
there was uncertainty with the 2017 pick... but now its clear its #1....value of it absolute
without actually saying it...it sounds like at the trade deadline teams were not going to risk trading a Butler for a possible 4th pick for example. Even if you add AB, Crowder...it doesn't help Bulls become a better team in the short term/long term
2018 draft pick presents the same uncertainty, but even worse as the Nets likely can't get any worse ...
As you said, they didn't actually say that...
And the reports that
did go around at the deadline last year stated that teams wanted the pick PLUS Bradley PLUS Crowder. I would hazard a guess that this was due to the uncertainty of the pick - taking the pick along with only one of those two guys was too risky, because if the pick dropped outside the top 2 then they wouldn't be getting back fair value.
Hence to make up for that uncertainty they wanted both Crowder and Bradley - which Ainge reported refused (and fair enough, as it would have crippled our team).
Next year's Brooklyn pick also carries some uncertainty (a bit more then last year's did) but lets be honest - who were the worst teams in the NBA this year other then the Nets?
1) Lakers - they get pick #2, probably Lonzo Ball, plus it's almost certain they get improvements from Russell, Ingram and Randle. It's almost certain that they are going to be a better team next year, even if they are still crap.
2) Suns - They get #4 pick (Tatum or Jackson probably - still a nice player) to combine with their current backcourt of Bledsoe and Booker. They also likely get improvements from Booker, who may well become an All-Star caliber player. Hard to imagine them not getting better.
3) Orlando - They don't like improve much, so they could compete for the wooden spoon, but to be honest they likely just aren't bad enough to compete with Brooklyn.
4) 76ers: They likely take Foxx at #3 and finally get that PG they've desperately needed, while also getting their core of Saric, Simmons and Embiid on the floor together. Unlikely they get any worse.
Really, Brooklyn is the only one of the garbage teams that seems to have minimal opportunity to improve. Big name free agents aren't likely to sign with the worst team in the NBA, they get no help from the draft, and they have no trade assets that could realistically introduce trade options to improve the team.
Until they get the rights to their picks back in 2019, they are pretty much dead in the water. Most likely scenario is that they finish last or second last - and I think most GMs out there will see that.
Offer Chicago the 2018 1st + Bradley + Crowder. If it helps give them Zeller for Lopez as well (for cap relief after next season).
I find it hard to imagine they would say no. Butler is 27 years old now, and a rebuild is going to take at least 2-3 years. Hell even Danny "god of rebuilding" Ainge took 3 years to turn this Celtics team around. By the end of that rebuild period Butler is 30 years old with a year left on his contract, the Bulls are probably still struggling to make the playoffs, and they risk Butler walking away for nothing.
A return of like what I proposed above is a pretty great one for the Bulls here. Even if that pick drops as far as #5 that's still a quality pick, and Bradley/Crowder are great veterans who are a great locker room presence to have during a rebuild (in addition to being very good players).