Is Jimmy Butler a top-10 player?

Novak

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This was my quote on December 15, in response to Novak asking, "So...championship?"

That's awesome, but did we ever determine if buckets was a top 10 player, or nah?
 

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He's a 3rd teammer. For those who don't follow, the All-NBA teams are not per position quota, it just more often than not comes off that way. So in theory you could have 15 PFs to make up the first/second/third teams.

I would say that is a semi-fair consensus that Jimmy is NOT top 10, but top 15. /captain obvious, but I'd like to see how the blind homers who shall remain without name, try to claim Jimmy is top 5 after this happened. *cough* okay, top 5 maybe as a strict two-way player, we know, we know.
 
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Raskolnikov

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Well, top 15 is solidly in the conversation and in the vicinity of the elite of the elite.

If you are of a certain age and in that category above guys like Heyward and George than only about 30% of teams even have one of you. You are worth building around and it's foolish to think a first round pick or even the #1 overall pick would be as good as him.
 

RamiTheBullsFan

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I'd put him as top 5 in his position. LeBron, KD, Kawhi, Antetokounmpo are better. But it's basically a wash between him or PG13. And he's better than Hayward and Melo.
 

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I'd put him as top 5 in his position. LeBron, KD, Kawhi, Antetokounmpo are better. But it's basically a wash between him or PG13. And he's better than Hayward and Melo.

Yeah, but he is top 2 at shooting guard.
 

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If you want to be a contender you gotta have 1 of 2 things -

1. Lebron James

2. 2 or 3 top 20 players depending on your other pieces.

If Curry and Durant stay in Golden State and CP3 doesn't go to San Antonio, there will be a Cavs vs Warriors 4.0 next year.

Jimmy is a top 15 guy. The Bulls would need to land a top 10 player and build a heck of a team to even sniff those two teams in the coming years.
 

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If you want to be a contender you gotta have 1 of 2 things -

1. Lebron James

2. 2 or 3 top 20 players depending on your other pieces.

If Curry and Durant stay in Golden State and CP3 doesn't go to San Antonio, there will be a Cavs vs Warriors 4.0 next year.

Jimmy is a top 15 guy. The Bulls would need to land a top 10 player and build a heck of a team to even sniff those two teams in the coming years.

This is kind of the reason why the NBA is becoming uninteresting to me. What it has become a league in which the top stars are free to go wherever they want to in order to form a super team with other stars(see Golden State) (see Miami a few years ago) (see Cleveland now). And then you have teams deliberately tanking in order to try and get a star out of the lottery. ANd then there is the majority of the teams playing pretty meaningless games against each other knowing that they have no chance at a championship. The Bulls are in this category.

In a way, the Bulls got unlucky with Rose getting hurt but then lucked out with Butler becoming a legitimate star but it wasn't enough. They had a great coach in Thibs but fucked that up also. So now, they are pretty well fucked for the future. And part of it is the free agent and draft system itself.
 

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I'm not sure the Cavs can hold it together forever. The end for Lebron is coming soon, when he can carry a team. An injury will occur eventually and a new team will represent the East.

Paul to the Spurs, or a combination of George/Paul to one of the L.A. teams, or even Wade/Lebron jumping in. Wade has 20 million option with us, but I don't think its totally out of the question he opts out and goes to a juggaurnaut where he is 3rd or 4th fiddle.

Bosh is out there too.

If Golden State were to actually 'annaialate" these Cavs....then I think everyone will have to look at building 1 or 2 other super teams if they want to compete.

The fact we have Jimmy locked up makes us a dark horse in all of this. If Clippers lose Paul they may rebuild, and then Jordan would be available.

The thing I will say about Jordan is he becomes more valuable if the hack-a- strategy is abolished. His efficiency analytics would then be very high, higher than a good 3-point shooter.

Intentional fouls of any kind should be abolished with one shot and the ball. Ref discretion. Flopping should be 2 shots and the ball. don't put up with it. Reviewed flopping by the league should be one game suspensions. If you want guys to play with integrity you have to be consistent and dictate what is an acceptable competitive spirit.

Hayward to Chicago would solve our SF problem. Jimmy-Hayward-Portis-Lopez/Lavreunix/Felicio and just keep drafting PG's until we hit.

Blowing it up and trading Jimmy really doesn't get us anywhere except holding draft picks and back to square zero searching for a Jimmy type that could attract FA's.
 

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Hayward to Indianapolis makes alot of sense for him, although we are the next closest team and have Jimmy to play with, and he has a "Dallas" vibe to me, someone Cuban would covet and able to offer tax relief and team perks.
 

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If the Clippers get blowed up,

is the #16 worth trading for Jordan to anybody and would they take that in addition to picking up his contract?
 

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Offensively, Jordan is damn-near useless without a playmaking guard to create shots for him. Does he have any offensive moves to get his own shot, or is he all lobs and put-backs off offensive rebounding?
 

Gustavus Adolphus

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Average distance of field goals attempted by Jordan is 1.2 feet.

48% of his attempted field goals are dunks, and 88% of any field goal attempt is within 3 feet of the basket. He is a one trick-pony on offense who is a liability at the end of close games because he can't hit a free throw. What he does best is something the Bulls as a team, already do considerably well, and he is set to make over $22.5 million dollars.

Your chances of finding an all-time great with the #16 are bad, no doubt, but trading that pick away to get a $22.5 million rebounder does not bring you any closer to a title.

PASS.
 

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He is such a dominant rebounder and changes shots in the entire painted area that his analytics are quite high, except for his free throws which is why teams like Golden State deal with the Clippers by trading .96 points per possession for the chance they shoot over 33% from 3.

If that rule is removed, you have to deal with the rest of your team and his rebounding on offense.
 

Gustavus Adolphus

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Offensive Rebounding by Team, 2016-17
Chicago Bulls, 12.2 per game
Clippers, 9.0 per game

Total Rebounding by Team, 2016-17
Chicago Bulls, 46.3 per game
Clippers, 43 per game

TOTALLY WORTH THE $22.5 MILLION!!!!!!
 

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Curry, Durant, Lebron, Harden, Westbrook, Davis, Leonard, Irving.

These are the players I would for sure rank over Butler. Then there's a debate with him and some others rounding out the rest of the top ten.
 

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