Chicago Bulls Need To Decide If Jimmy Butler Is Franchise's New Face
Jimmy Butler may have developed into a star with the Chicago Bulls, but is he going to stick around to become the undisputed face of the franchise?
Six years into his NBA career, and it is clear: Chicago Bulls forward Jimmy Butler is a star.
Drafted in 2011, the Houston native certainly underwhelmed fans during his rookie year; averaging just 2.6 points, 1.3 rebounds and 0.3 assists a game in 8.5 minutes, Butler went overlooked for quite some time.
However, the 27-year-old bounced back in a major way. Now regarded as one of the league’s top talents, Butler has spent the 2016-17 season so far averaging 24.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists per contest in 36.6 minutes.
Of course, much of his newfound success can be attributed to hard work, player development and simply experience that comes with time. But some of it also has to do with guys like Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah continuing their careers elsewhere.
Stuck in their shadows not just on the court, but also in regards to locker room drama, Butler was finally able to come into his own once both wound up with the New York Knicks last offseason.
Butler was at last able to be the leader he always wished to be.
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Obviously, this paved the way for Butler to, first and foremost, become a more productive player. However, another opportunity also came out of it: becoming the face of the franchise.
It seemed like a no-brainer. With Rose gone and Butler undoubtedly being the next-best guy, who else would step up as the core of the team?
But as usual with Chicago, things are not so simple.
For starters, Butler has seemingly been at the center of trade rumors since the year began. Not exactly something that you would expect of a guy an organization is supposedly trying to build around.
Sure, the front office has gone back and disputed these claims on several occasions. But does anyone really have enough faith in either general manager Gar Forman or vice president John Paxson to believe they have never brought him up in trade talks?
Never mind the reports that Butler was supposedly bullied into taking his four-year, $44 million extension in 2014 in the first place.
There is also Butler’s own temperament to keep in mind. One would assume that a guy in such a high position would be on cloud nine. After all, it was not an easy road to the top.
But it has been painfully obvious that Butler is anything but satisfied.
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Yes, he is playing high-level basketball and finally getting the league-wide acknowledgement he deserves.
His arch-nemeses have moved on.
He even is now a part of a trio, the Alpha Three, made up of himself, Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade.
And yet, none of that can erase his clearly strained relationship with head coach Fred Hoiberg and members of the front office.
Butler was recently asked about the apparent lack of commitment on his future from management.
“Nope. Nothing surprises me nowadays. You know that. I’m not surprised by anything. Anything is possible. It’s a business at the end of the day. I love it here. They know that. The city knows that.”
Well then.
So where does that leave Butler?
On the one hand, it is very possible that the star will indeed keep doing his thing with the Bulls.
With a solid contract under his belt, a tremendous first half of the season and a new best friend in Wade, it may not matter that Butler is not treated like a traditional face of a franchise may be, elsewhere.
He did just comment on wanting Wade to stick by his side.
“All I know is I want him being my teammate for a long time. I’ve learned so much already. He makes my job easier and the jobs of everyone else in here easier. As long as he keeps playing like he is now, keeps evolving, he should stay here, finish things out here.”
But then again, Wade could keep being his teammate elsewhere. Say like South Beach, via the Miami Heat.
Plus, the front office may claim to have no interest in trading Butler, but they also said they were looking to be younger and more athletic.
That didn’t exactly go according to plan.
One thing is for sure: if Butler is indeed the new face of the Chicago Bulls, the organization needs to start giving him what he needs, now … before he decides to look for a greener pasture.
