Jimmy Butler trade rumors are quiet for now. Will the Bulls keep it that way?

The Chicago Bulls reportedly have no intent to follow the Sacramento Kings’ footsteps of trading a franchise player. They’ve told teams they do not plan to move All-Star swing man Jimmy Butler, according to the Chicago Tribune’s K.C. Johnson.

Bulls management has waffled on Butler’s place as the face and leader of the franchise moving forward, failing to label the 27-year-old star as the organizational centerpiece he has proven himself to be. The Boston Celtics were a rumored suitor, given their blend of young talent and attractive draft picks, including the right to swap picks with the Brooklyn Nets (8-29) in the upcoming draft.

Butler was named an Eastern Conference All-Star starter after averaging 24.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, and five assists in the first half of the season. But he has clashed with Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg, and management is split on whether to build around its two-way wing or to trade him to facilitate a full rebuild.

After watching the Kings send Cousins to New Orleans for pennies on the dollar, the trade market is in shock. Chicago can’t rush into a deal merely because Thursday’s trade deadline draws closer.

One of the league’s top perimeter players, Butler’s unrelenting work ethic has only begun to pay off. The last first-round pick of the 2011 draft, his game has improved every season, culminating with a polished offensive game as Chicago’s de facto offensive leader.

It’s unclear if the Bulls can get equal or greater value back, and they know that.

Despite Butler’s success, Chicago is still a game below .500, falling short of the expectations set when the team acquired Dwyane Wade during free agency. The East’s weak bottom half — or bottom two-thirds — affords the Bulls some wiggle room.

Chicago (28-29) is seventh in the conference and on pace to sneak into the postseason. But the Bulls have yet to turn the keys over to their star forward.

Management has not publicly lauded Butler as its franchise player and has attempted to deal him in the past. It was just during the summer the team dangled him in front of Boston in an attempt to pry away its attractive trade assets. During the 2016 draft, Chicago nearly traded Butler to Minnesota and Boston.

Butler is also in line to command a designated player exception contract in excess of $200 million over five years if he makes an All-NBA team between now and when his current contract expires in 2020. That is a wad of cash to spend on a player the team doesn’t view as the franchise’s building block.

The Bulls are certainly uncertain on whether to build around Butler or get as much as they can in return.

Should Butler make an All-NBA team (which is possible), he’ll command the same contract Cousins was in line to sign before the Kings sent him to New Orleans. And while future flexibility and assets play a role in the decision-making process, finances do as well.

Chicago showed its hand over the summer in attempting to deal Butler for young players and draft picks. Management might have a better poker face this time around, but the cards remain the same.

There is about a 4-in-10 chance the Bulls star gets dealt before the trade deadline, but Butler shouldn’t unpack his bags just yet. Because even if he sticks around this season, there is no guarantee he’ll make it to see the next.

Probability: 4/10