Recent rumors have claimed that the Chicago Bulls are close to buying out the contract of Dwyane Wade, which would make him a highly-targeted unrestricted free agent.

Other than the fact that the Bulls are rebuilding and Wade simply doesn’t fit their organizational plan, no reason for a potential split was presented until ESPN’s Nick Friedell made a shocking report on “The Jump” on Tuesday.

"The young players on the Bulls really can't stand Dwyane. It's no secret in Chicago, they have had enough,” he said along with the following comments. “… This is inevitable. It's coming. It's just a matter of when not if. But right now, guys, it's just kind of a staring contest. Everybody's looking at each other saying 'OK, how much money are you willing to give up?… This is a divorce that's going to happen, but it may take some time.” 

Shortly after those comments became viral, former teammate Jimmy Butler rushed to Wade’s defense.

‘‘Hell, probably some of them can’t stand or don’t like me,’’ Butler told Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times in a phone interview Thursday. ‘‘That’s fine. I’m still waking up fortunate and blessed every day, just like Dwyane is. He still has a fabulous family and a lot more important things to worry about than the opinions of others.”

‘But if they dislike him because the guy wants to win, well, then that team has some serious problems on the way,” he added.

Last season, a report came out that claimed Butler and Wade had a falling out and disliked each other. Butler also made sure to point out that was never true and that he loves D-Wade like a brother.

‘‘The only beef he and I could possibly have is who is a better dresser right now,’’ Butler said. ‘‘For that [report] to be floating out there is crazy. As many dinners as me and him have had out here [in California], the trips we’ve taken this summer, I don’t think people that argue would be around each other as much as I like being around D-Wade."

‘‘I just continue to pick his brain and try and get to the level that he is on the basketball court — what he’s done, the way that he’s won. I love that guy like a brother, and he’s done so much for me. Let people talk, but no one knows what they are talking about unless it’s coming from me or D-Wade,” Butler explained.

Judging by his comments, it seems as though Butler might be happy he’s in Minnesota, far away from the drama that has seemed to live in Chicago in recent years. And, who knows? He might be trying to subtly recruit Wade to join him and his new star-studded team through his kind words if a buyout ends up happening.