The Bulls were in New Orleans last night to take on the Pelicans as they wrap up a very disappointing season. One where they’ll miss the postseason for the first time in eight years. All members of the team arrived in New Orleans via the team plane. All except Jimmy Butler that is.
Butler arrived separately due to a family issue. It was a situation that was approved by Fred Hoiberg. Even so, according to Chris Broussard of ESPN, some teammates feel Butler gets preferential treatment from the higher-ups in the organization, and the team flight situation is just the latest example.
Once considered in the conversation as being the class of the East, the Bulls are now anything but.
Some players, and I’m not saying it wasn’t a family commitment, but there were some – I know at least one player in particular, a starter – who felt like he was a bit bothered by the fact that Jimmy wasn’t on the plane. And it was a misperception. He felt it was emblematic of a little bit of the preferential treatment that a lot of people say Butler’s been getting now that he’s emerged as the best players on the Bulls from the front office and things like that.
There’s a division. There’s all types of dysfunction in Chicago. There’s kind of a division in that locker room.
The younger players see Jimmy Butler as the leader. He’s clearly been their best player the last two years. They see him as the leader.
The other guys, the veterans who’ve been there, it’s not so much of disrespect of Jimmy, but they don’t see him as the team leader. They remember when you were averaging two points a game.
H/T: ESPN
