Rockets' Failed Pursuit of Warriors' Jimmy Butler Considered 'Historical What-If'

The Houston Rockets pulled off quite the blockbuster trade in 2017 when they landed future Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul. The team had been trying to identify a viable table-setting guard to go alongside James Harden in the backcourt.

The franchise hoped Ty Lawson would be able to fit the bill, but he proved incapable. Harden had been acquired by general manager Daryl Morey just five seasons prior and instantly morphed into one of the best players in the league.

Which was bound to happen once he got out from the Oklahoma City Thunder and out from under the shadow of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

The idea of Paul and Harden thriving as backcourt mates was frowned upon, as both players were accustomed to having the ball in their hand

And Harden had just completed a relatively unsuccessful superstar pairing with Dwight Howard, another surefire Hall of Famer.

(To this day, Howard says the decision to join the Rockets was a mistake).

This duo fared considerably better than anyone could have imagined.

The Rockets posted a league-best 65-17 record in year one and reached the Western Conference Finals.

The only disappointment was that they didn't get to the NBA Finals, due to a hamstring injury suffered by Paul in Game 5 against Golden State.

Year two wasn't nearly as successful, although Houston's 53-29 record was still good for fourth-best in the West.

This time, the team got eliminated in the Western Conference Semifinals, by the same opponent.

Houston needed to do something different. And tried to, after the first year of Paul and Harden as teammates.

The Warriors had proven that they were a piece short. Golden State eliminated Houston in the playoffs in both seasons and were comprised of three legitimate superstars, in Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant.

And Draymond Green, who is another Hall of Fame player.

Morey set his sights on Jimmy Butler, who had worn out his welcome with the Minnesota Timberwolves, although he helped them end their postseason drought, which spanned 13 seasons.

Butler and Harden began discussing what a Rockets team comprised of Paul, Harden and Butler would look like, representing Butler's hometown Rockets.

Morey had been sending offers to Tom Thibodeau for a year, who wS operating as both coach and General Manager of the Wolves.

At one point, Morey and the Rockets offered four first-round draft picks, in addition to Eric Gordon, who won Sixth Man of the Year just two seasons prior.

To no avail.

Butler was ultimately dealt to the Philadelphia 76ers, in an underwhelming return of Jerryd Bayless, Robert Covington, Dario Saric and a second-round draft pick.

Butler ultimately left Philadelphia in the summer, opting to join the Miami Heat (and leave the Rockets hanging, following their second pursuit of him).

CBS Sports writer Sam Quinn coins Houston's failed overtures towards Butler as a "historical what-if", taking to social media to explain.

"The Jimmy/Rockets rumor is so under-discussed as a historical what if.

Daryl offered Eric Gordon and four first-round picks for him and Thibs preferred Covington and Saric with no picks, made that trade, then got fired like six weeks later. He speed-ran Nico-level insanity."

Quinn continued.

"The only reason we didn't talk more about this at the time was that Daryl was the first GM throwing around those four-pick offers at the time. We hadn't seen Paul George or Kevin Durant or James Harden trades yet. He was early on that trend. The Wolves just didn't grasp it."

It does make one question whether Butler would've been the missing piece for the Rockets during that 2018-19 season. Chris Paul wasn't the same version of himself, so Houston still would've had to overcome that issue.

Could Butler have overcompensated for Paul, who had arguably his worst season to that point?

I guess we'll never know.