Caron Butler, one of the most pursued small forwards in this year’s free-agent class, privately considers the Los Angeles Clippers and Chicago Bulls as his two most preferred destinations, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

Butler is most attracted to the Bulls because of the chance to play with Derrick Rose and compete for a title, but he would have to take significantly less money to play in Chicago. The Bulls have a stronger need for a shooting guard, and could ultimately spend their money there. Ultimately, that leaves Clippers with an edge over the New Jersey Nets among the suitors with the most significant cap space and a need for a starting small forward.“He sees the Clippers with a more stable foundation of players,” one source familiar with Butler’s thinking said. “He isn’t sure about Deron Williams’ future in New Jersey, and having a chance to win will be a big part of this.”

Butler played only 29 games in the Dallas Mavericks’ title run a season ago, missing the remainder with a right knee injury. At 31 years old, he’s checked out healthy again, and remains a primary target for several teams looking for a small forward.

Young appeals to Bulls

One of the most explosive restricted free agents, Washington Wizards guard Nick Young, is intriguing to several teams, but most wonder: Will the Wizards simply match any offer for him?

Young can score, and the Chicago Bulls can appreciate the 30 and 38 points he had in two games against the Miami Heat a season ago. The Bulls are desperate for a scoring guard, and they have expressed interest in Young, along with Denver and New Orleans, front office sources said.

Young hasn’t been much beyond a scorer in the NBA, and privately believes the chance to play for coach Tom Thibodeau could round out his game. Still, Chicago doesn’t have the cap space to make him an offer outside of Washington’s willingness to match the deal. The Bulls could find a way to be creative, however, but they’ll keep talking to several shooting guards and explore trades.

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