Presumed Jimmy Butler sightings in SLC likely not connected to Utah Jazz

Rumors have emerged that Chicago Bulls All-Star Jimmy Butler was spotted in Salt Lake City, but could his presence have anything to do with the Utah Jazz?

The rumors aren’t exactly founded or well-documented, but a few rumblings have emerged on social media that Jimmy Butler was sighted in Salt Lake City this week. The speculation emerged from a picture on a Utah Jazz Fan Facebook group that showed the Chicago Bulls All-Star standing outside of what appeared to be a Salt Lake restaurant.

That photo is viewable on Facebook via this link here.

Again, there’s no concrete evidence as of yet claiming that Jimmy Butler was officially there, but naturally his presumed presence sparked some speculation and excitement on social media:

People on Jazz fans Facebook group have posted photos of Jimmy Butler in Salt Lake City. Sounds like he has family that lived here.
— David J. Smith (@davidjsmith1232) May 15, 2017

https://twitter.com/eldiablov90/status/864160888953204736

Some even went as far as to compare Butler’s appearance in Salt Lake to when George Hill spent some time out in Utah prior to being traded to the Jazz just last summer. A few weeks prior to being acquired by the Jazz, Hill was involved at a basketball camp at Lone Peak High School with coach David Evans, a long-time friend of his.

Of course at the time, Hill had no idea that he would soon be suiting up for the Jazz, but it still turned into an interesting coincidence, and the fact that Hill had connections in Utah certainly made his transition and fit with the Jazz much smoother.

https://twitter.com/SporadicRegular/status/864126586479620099

Just last week, I touched on how incredible it would be if the Jazz were somehow able to orchestrate a trade to bring the Bulls All-Star over to their ranks. That remains very much a long shot, but his sudden appearance in Salt Lake is still somewhat intriguing.

Of course, even those who have mentioned the comparison between Butler’s presence in Utah and Hill’s last season are clearly doing it sarcastically. Sure, it would be nice if it was a sign of a blockbuster trade resulting in an epic addition for the Utah Jazz, but it’s more than likely that Butler’s presumed visit to Salt Lake City is nothing more than a coincidence and has nothing to do with the Jazz.

In fact, in a recent tweet, the Salt Lake Tribune’s Kurt Kragthorpe shed some insight on a potential reason why Butler could be in town:

Thus, there’s a good chance that Butler was simply visiting some friends and nothing whatsoever is in the works between the Bulls and Jazz. Given that Butler is Chicago’s best player and that they will likely be hesitant at best to give him up, while the Jazz have little of value that they’d actually be willing to trade, that’s probably a safe bet.

Nevertheless, there’s no denying how incredible it would be for the Jazz’s chances as Western Conference contenders if a guy like Jimmy Butler were added to their mix. And the fact that he already has some connections in Utah certainly couldn’t hurt the Jazz’s chances of providing a favorable situation for the Bulls All-Star. Even so, it’s still a long shot at best.

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While it may not end up being a trade for Jimmy Butler, expect the Jazz to be aggressive this offseason, though, as they hope to lock down free agent Gordon Hayward for the long haul and add some additional talent alongside him and his already deep Jazz team to push them to the next level.

It won’t be long before the offseason rumors are flying at full force and there’s no questioning that it’s bound to be an exhilarating and crucial summer for the Utah Jazz.