The Most Improved Player award is a fun way for the basketball press to give collective props to a player who’s “arrived.” That’s definitely true of Jimmy Butler, who made a leap this year from a very good starter to an all-around star for the Chicago Bulls in his fourth season and ran away with the award.
Butler’s always been an excellent defensive player, and showed signs of becoming an above-average shooter in his second year; he was one of the earliest prototypes of the 3&D wing. But last season, so much was asked of Jimmy Buckets in another year of waiting for Derrick Rose to get healthy before he was ready, Jimmy’s efficiency dropped. This year, Rose was back, though he wasn’t his old self and still missed considerable time. Still, the Bulls improved dramatically on the offensive end thanks to the additions of Pau Gasol and rookie Nikola Mirotic, and the substantial improvement in ball-handling and shooting by Butler.
Jimmy Buckets upped his three-point shooting percentage by nine points, and shot over 100 more free throws than his previous season. His improved ability to penetrate into the paint and draw contact meant defenders had to step back a little from his jump shot. He became a complete offensive player — which means he’s now a complete player. It’s a well-deserved honor for the Bulls guard, who comfortably beat runner-up Draymond Green (who made a leap as well) to claim some hardware.
Jimmy was smart to bet on his own ability this summer when he turned down a purported four-year, $40 million contract extension with the Bulls, despite the risks inherent in such a decision. A career-threatening injury, like Wes Matthews suffered in Portland before his own free agency, could have jeopardized Jimmy’s earning power this summer like it has Matthews.
But Jimmy’s on-court excellence couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. For a guy who was homeless at 13, a max-level deal this summer is the perfect reward for his belief in himself. If the Bulls balk at paying the money (something the notoriously mingy owner, Jerry Reinsdorf, might actually do), there will be no shortage of suitors willing to sign Butler to the max for his two-way excellence.
(Via NBA.com)
