Reports were recently swirling that Chicago Bulls shooting guard Jimmy Butler had spent time with celebrity friends in Los Angeles this summer and that he allegedly wants to sign a one-year contract to play for the Lakers next season.

This rumor may be true, Butler may really have the desire to play in Hollywood starting October, only that officially the soon-to-be restricted free agent can't, as per SB Nation.

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According to league rules, any offer given to a restricted free agent must be for a minimum of two years. And if in case a restricted free agent is given a Maximum Qualifying Offer by his parent team, then the other suitors can only offer him at least a three-year deal without any options.

CBS Sports recently reported that the Bulls already gave Butler a Maximum Qualifying Offer, which means that the Lakers, or any other team for that matter, could only offer the former Marquette standout no less than a three-year contract that has no player option.

Butler was intending to be a free agent again next summer with the anticipated significant increase in salary cap space, which is why he wants to have a one-year deal only. But with the recent developments, the one team that could provide him that privilege is Chicago.

If the 6-foot-7 workhorse truly wants to play in Los Angeles and possibly earn the biggest payday of his life, then the only way for that to happen is for him to accept the one-year $4.4 million qualifying offer from the Bulls to enter unrestricted free agency again next summer.

By then, the Lakers can surely offer him all the money that he wants and play in front of his movie star pals.

Meanwhile, Kurt Helin of NBC Sports' Pro Basketball Talk indicated that the 2015 Most Improved Player may sign the five-year max offer from the Bulls as no player in history so far passed on such a huge contract. Helin also said that the whole Lakers' scenario may just be a ploy of Butler's agent to "leverage the Bulls" in giving his client the highest amount of money possible.

In all this drama, one thing is sure: Butler will stay as a Bull in October. The Lakers are powerless to do anything about that.

TagsNBA 2015, NBA news, NBA News 2015, NBA rumors, NBA Rumors 2015, NBA Trade Rumors, NBA trade rumors 2015