It’s often difficult to compare the NBA and the NFL. For one the sports they play are totally different and their league setups don’t reflect shared principles. At the same time certain similarities do show up. Specfically in regards to how jarring an impact trades can have. For the world of basketball, much of the buzz of late centers around a Jimmy Butler trade from the Chicago Bulls.

Cynical Bulls fans will scoff at this. It’s noise they’ve heard before. Butler is being discussed with this team and that team. Nothing ever happens. Still, it’s hard to ignore it this time considering the biggest rumor came courtesy of Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. Apparently he’s heard it from multiple sources that the Cleveland Cavaliers are in hot pursuit of the Bulls All-Star.

Jimmy Butler trade could swing balance of power

“Jimmy Butler being Cleveland-bound picked up even more momentum on Tuesday.

According to multiple sources in Cleveland, not only have Cavaliers players – including LeBron James and Kyrie Irving – been reaching out to Butler directly and through back channels over the last five days to gauge his interest, but those players liked what they heard back from the Bulls’ three-time All-Star.

One of the sources indicated that Butler would even push his front office to get the deal done, which is a huge change of direction for Butler, who has told both general manager Gar Forman and vice president of basketball operations John Paxson numerous times over the last year that he didn’t want to be traded.”

It’s unclear what the Cavs will be able to do regarding a deal. Obviously they’ll need help from at least one other team to assemble the assets required to pry Butler away from Chicago. Not surprising since his value is sky high after an All-Star campaign that saw him set career-high numbers across the board. Why Cleveland is doing it shouldn’t be a shock. They need another big piece if they’re going to take down Golden State in the Finals next season. Butler the biggest fish in the pond who might be available.

Even more beneficial from the Bulls’ standpoint is that other teams might be interested as well including Boston and Phoenix. That will drive up the price further. So why mention the NFL angle? In large part to the fact that this could be the most franchise-altering trade ever. If done right, it could mirror one of the most famous trades in football.

The Herschel Walker trade built a dynasty

Back in 1989 the Dallas Cowboys were floundering. They were an old team clinging to old concepts. Their young head coach Jimmy Johnson realized something had to change. A complete rebuild was need. In order to do that though he needed draft picks and other offseason assets. His solution was simple but shocking. Trade the best player they had on the roster. That was running back Herschel Walker.

Walker had posted over 4,000 yards from scrimmage, scored 29 touchdowns and reached two Pro Bowls the previous three seasons. He was a genuine superstar at the top of his game. So the Minnesota Vikings, a team that had come up just short in the playoffs the past couple years, paid the heavy price to get him.

In return the Cowboys got three first, three second and a third round draft picks along with other minor additions. The team tanked for the rest of the that season but with those picks soon began to assemble a new roster. Within just a couple years they were back in the playoffs and won their first of three Super Bowls in four years in 1992. It was the trade that built a dynasty.

The setup of a Butler trade is almost identical. A player in his prime coming off his best season. A buyer who knows they might be one piece away from winning a championship and willing to pay big to get it. The one wild card in this is whether the Bulls brass have the same conviction for making a change as Dallas did.

Given the history of GM Gar Forman and his partner John Paxson, there is plenty of skepticism about that. Still, if they do pull the trigger it’s possible the long-term fortune of Chicago basketball could change overnight.