Chicago Bulls: 3 reasons the team should hold onto Jimmy Butler
The Chicago Bulls have some decisions to make this summer, including what to do with Jimmy Butler.
The Chicago Bulls may have done many things wrong over the last several years, but one thing they certainly got right is drafting Jimmy Butler.
The No. 30 pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, Butler came out hot from a three-year stint at Marquette University. Having averaged 12.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists a game overall as a Golden Eagle, Butler was averaging 15.7 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists per matchup as a senior.
Those numbers ultimately stood out to the Bulls, and for good reason. Sure, the swingman had plenty of development left before him, but he had already proven himself as quite a player on both ends of the floor.
Now unfortunately, it took some time for Butler to adjust to the league. Perhaps Chicago simply did not utilize him properly, or maybe the Houston native was just slower than most on the uptake. Whatever the case, it was not until his third year with the Bulls that Butler’s potential finally started to show.
During the 2013-14 season, Butler saw an average of 38.7 minutes a contest, recording 13.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists.
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Fast forward to 2016-17, and the 27-year-old has more than proven his worth.
Averaging 23.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.5 assists a game during the regular season, Butler was just as effective during the playoffs; he averaged 22.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists in six games of Chicago’s first round playoff series against the Boston Celtics.
But Chicago still has some major issues that need to be dealt with.
From a directionless front office to a subpar head coach to a flawed roster, the Bulls need to make some major changes if they wish to find success.
However, one change they should not make is getting rid of Butler. Here are the three main reasons why.