Despite the constant trade rumors that have swirled around him for the past year, it appears Jimmy Butler (or at least he says he is) is 100% committed to the Chicago Bulls organization and wants to be their cornerstone moving forward.
Butler said as much when asked directly in an interview with ESPN.
“Yes. I can’t see what tomorrow will bring, but I love it here. You know, they took a risk on a kid that was not very good with the 30th pick in the 2011 draft, so I feel like I owe the city the little amount of talent that I have on that basketball court. I love it here. I love these people. I want to be here.”
Jimmy Butler reiterates he wants to stay with the Bulls #NBA https://t.co/Qyrkad2LmF pic.twitter.com/WutACVsqci
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) March 14, 2017
Butler has voiced numerous times the loyalty he feels to the organization that took a chance on him with the 30th pick of the 2011 NBA Draft and his gratefulness for the opportunity to develop into the player he has become. That sort of loyalty is rare in the mercenary nature of professional sports as is Butler’s legendary work ethic which has helped him improve every season of his career and become a true superstar.
That sort of constant progression, work ethic and desire shouldn’t be taken lightly and the Bulls would be foolish to part ways with Butler.
The only thing that has been clear in the past year and a half or so is that the Bulls front office has no clear vision or strategy to build their team for the future as they have moved on from veterans such as Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah only to bring in new veterans that are past their prime in Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo. They have built a team around Butler that doesn’t mesh with his skill set and that doesn’t play the open, free-flowing style with lots of shooters that Head Coach Fred Hoiberg was brought in to play.
I have a feeling the Bulls will end up dealing Butler to the Celtics this summer after the Celtics miss out on Gordon Hayward in free agency.
