Why Jimmy Butler Should Be the Chicago Bulls' Biggest Surprise in 2014-15
After a summer highlighted by Derrick Rose's comeback trail and the acquisition of free agent Pau Gasol, one can be forgiven for forgetting all about the guys who won 48 games for the Chicago Bulls a season ago.
Joakim Noah was named Defensive Player of the Year for his troubles, but swingman Jimmy Butler may have been every bit as essential to keeping the team afloat without its former MVP. And with the 25-year-old coming into his prime amidst a much-improved rotation, Butler's best may be yet to come.
The Marquette product averaged 38.7 minutes per game in his third pro season.
Earning that kind of playing time from head coach Tom Thibodeau can only mean one thing: You're doing serious work on both ends of the floor.
"I thought his defense was terrific and he did a lot of things that were good, but I never thought he found a rhythm," Thibodeau told reporters this month about Butler's 2013-14 campaign. "That's why it’s so important to practice and play and get yourself ready for the season.
"The one thing about this year, he came back a lot lighter and in much better shape. He's played very well in training camp."
Butler—who made just 28.3 percent of his three-point attempts last season—may have an easier time finding that rhythm with Rose at his side. The star point guard has played in just 49 games since Butler came into the league, thwarting any chance of instant chemistry and the dividends it might yield.
It's only one of the reasons why Butler's efficiency should improve.
As the Chicago Tribune's K.C. Johnson (subscription required) recently explained, "Butler obviously needs to shoot better and the Bulls believe he will for a multitude of reasons: his work ethic, better offensive spacing offseason additions will create, his health this training camp."
Injuries dealt Butler minor setbacks in training camp and later in November 2013, frustrating efforts to find an early comfort zone after a promising sophomore season.
Things are going more smoothly this time around.
It remains to be seen whether that will translate into a significantly improved jumper, but it's worth remembering that Butler has the tools and instincts to do a lot of things well—even when that jumper isn't falling.
"I like Jimmy in the post and cutting and moving," Thibodeau told reporters (subscription required) this month. "He generates a lot of speed, draws contact, gets to the line and gets us to the bonus and extra shots. He's tough in the paint with his physicality and ability to draw fouls. That's important."
So if the three-pointers aren't falling, one solution is attempting fewer of them—instead focusing on exploiting his athleticism and hard work.
Butler attempted 3.6 three-pointers per game last season, so there's room for a more conservative approach.
If the three-pointers do fall this season, Butler could become a consistent second or third option behind Rose and potentially Gasol—a more polished and diversified version of the weapon he was in 2013-14.
"He's been shooting the ball after practice just trying to take it more serious, and that's all you can ask for him," Rose recently told the media. "This year he's huge for us because we're really going to need him to make that consistent outside shot, and I think teams are not ready for it."
This is doable for Butler.
Even with his shooting woes, Butler remained productive last season—a testament to what he might accomplish with a little refinement.
He averaged 13.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists through 67 games last season, slightly upping his line to 13.6 points and 5.2 rebounds in 43.6 minutes per game during a five-game opening round of the playoffs.
His first-rate perimeter defense is harder to quantify, but Butler was essential to a Bulls defense that ranked second in efficiency last season according to ESPN.com, giving up just 97.8 points per 100 possessions.
That defensive effort isn't going anywhere.
For all the reasons to be optimistic about Butler's 2014-15 results, the most important may be the extent to which he's ignoring a potentially distracting contract situation.
Bulls general manager Gar Forman is currently negotiating a potential contract extension with agent Happy Walters, a process that will come to an end one way or another by an Oct. 31 deadline.
With other young wing stars like Chandler Parsons and Gordon Hayward commanding highly lucrative long-term deals this summer, Butler won't come cheap. Walters knows the organization would have a difficult time replacing his client, so the Bulls don't have a whole lot of leverage here.
It's not an especially ideal subplot as Butler looks to take another step, but he's not letting the situation become unnecessarily dramatic.
"I want to be here," Butler told reporters after the team's first practice in September. "I think the Bulls want me here. So however long it takes, as long as we get it worked out. Basketball is my main focus, not really the contract situation."
"I don't really think about it too much," he added. "I grew up without money. I think I'll be all right for a couple more days. I just play basketball. That's what I know. And if you play basketball the right way, the contract situation will handle itself."
So far this preseason, Butler has certainly been playing basketball the right way.
After making just one of seven field-goal attempts—to go along with seven rebounds and five assists—in his first outing against the Washington Wizards, Butler posted 18 points in each of his next two contests against the Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks.
For what it's worth, Butler took a total of one three-point attempt in those first three games.
The generally strong early showings bode well for Butler and his pursuit of consistency. With firm expectations of how he fits into this season's game plan, the Bulls are high on their outlook for the fourth-year, would-be star.
"We asked him to do a lot [last season]. His role changed," Thibodeau explained to reporters this month. "At the beginning of the season, it was a much lesser role than it was after Derrick got hurt and then Luol got traded. But Jimmy is a terrific player, and he does a lot for us. He's an important part of winning."
While Butler's role may change once again, he'll have a full preseason to adjust.
He'll also have proven playmakers like Rose and Gasol making those adjustments a little easier—to say nothing of Noah's emergence as a facilitator after averaging 5.4 assists per game last season.
The Bulls don't need Butler to do everything.
They need him to continue the steady evolution he's embarked upon since being selected with 2011's 30th overall pick. The next step in that evolution may be the most surprising one yet.
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