Chicago Bulls Talk: Better Sign Jimmy Butler Now!

Well Pippen Peoples, the Chicago Bulls will soon begin training camp and the preseason (THANK GOD!) as we start the long journey into the NBA season. The Bulls front office had a busy offseason stacking their squad with quality players to help Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah make a deep run in the playoffs. As you already know, the staff at Pippen Ain’t Easy are gearing up for an exciting year with so many subplots that the website articles will write themselves.

The roster has been set for months ,so other than a couple of players to keep the layup line even at the beginning of games (aka the end of the bench) there has really  been no action going on other than the rumor mill running. How desperate have we been for any news concerning the Chicago Bulls? The E’Twuan Moore signing was a big deal.

Well the Chicago Bulls have another big deal that they might have to mull over which will affect the franchise in the next few years. That deal is a possible early contract extension for Jimmy Butler. The Bulls have until October 31st to work out an extension (Editor’s note: two games into the season and a loss to the Knicks) before the next offseason.

I’m sure that some of you are thinking…who cares? But if you want this team to sustain itself under the Jerry Reinsdorf financial plan, you had better start caring. With the new national television contract the NBA is about to obtain from TNT and ABC/ESPN, there is going to be a ton of money coming in. The bigger the contract, the more money the NBA gets. The more money the NBA gets, the higher the salary cap for the teams.

Ergo, players are going to ask for more of the sweet potato pie. As of right now before this deal gets done, no one knows how the contract will affect the free agency market in the future. Zach Lowe broke down this challenge on Grantland  recently about the situation with Jimmy Butler and five other candidates from his draft class. Here’s an excerpt dropping the science…

"The NBA is on the verge of signing a new national TV contract that will double the current deal, a windfall that will launch the  salary cap into the stratosphere."

"One problem: No one knows when, or how, that jump will happen. It’s at $63 million for this season, and teams are projecting it could leap as high as$80 million for the 2016-17 season-the first under the new TV contract."

"Grantland reported in July that the league is considering methods of pinching the onrush of money to avoid gargantuan one year jump in the cap level. Teams are speculating that the league might apply future TV money to the 2015-16 cap, nudging it up above the current projection of $66.5 million."

Aug 8, 2014; Akron, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James walks with his wife Savannah Brinson and sons Lebron James Jr. and Bryce James during the LeBron James Family Foundation Reunion and Rally at InfoCision Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

To show how big this deal will be for the players come contract time, we can all take a small trip to Cleveland and take a look at the Fresh Prince of Cleveland, LeBron James’ contract. Does anyone see it  strange that after signing a deal well over $100 million dollars in Miami, he signs a deal for two years at $42 million in Cleveland? Is it for the love of Cleveland?

Grow up.

LeBron James may run from cities after he gets his butt kicked in the postseason, but the man is about his money. James’ short term deal just happens to expire right around the network deal. If the alleged best player in the NBA is waiting for the deal to go down and is willing to take a shorter deal to wait for the uncertainty to fade, any agent worth his license is going to wait as well.

That is why the Chicago Bulls need to lock Jimmy Butler into an extension now if they want him for the long-term future. It’s a guarantee that the Bulls will offer him the $3 million qualifying offer.

Is there a risk with these early extensions? Sure. But there’s a risk walking out your front door everyday. Besides let’s take a look at some of the players that the Bulls have signed previously with early extensions.

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Joakim Noah Joakim Noah signed a five-year, $60 million dollar deal back in 2011 with an average salary of $12 million dollars. Has it worked out? Let’s see. For the money, the Chicago Bulls have the reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year, an MVP candidate for a couple of weeks during last season and an undisputed leader in the locker room. Add on the fact when Derrick Rose went down with a knee injury…again, the offense was built around his playmaking ability. Pretty good way to spend $12 million dollars a year.

Rob Grabowski-USA TODAY Sports

Taj Gibson Taj Gibson signed a four-year $38 million dollar deal back in 2012. If you look at what Gordon Hayward got in Utah getting a $63 million dollar deal, this is highway robbery. Taj Gibson helped anchor one of the stingiest defenses in the NBA last season. The growth in his game helped in the decision to amnesty Carlos Boozer in the offseason. Gibson is considered on of the top sixth men in the NBA.

Apr 2, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler (21) shoots a three over Atlanta Hawks forward DeMarre Carroll (5) in the first half at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

Jimmy Butler will make $2 million dollars next year, no matter what. But now is the time for  the Bulls to take  advantage of the down year Butler had shooting the ball.

HoopsRumors speculates that the going rate for Jimmy Butler at this point would be four years at $42 million dollars. The question right now is are the Bulls willing to commit this amount of money now to a player who was known more as Jimmy “McBricks” more than “McBuckets”?

If Jimmy Butler wants to get that big payday that comes from that avalanche of money that is coming from the network deals, he is going to have to prove that he can shoot. Last year, Jimmy Butler shot less than 40 percent from the floor and 28 percent from the land of the extra point.

I think it had a lot to do with the Tom Thibodeau’s version of combining the triathlon and basketball in the same sport. No NBA player in recent memory had to deal with the stress and strain of running after the best offensive player for the amount of minutes played in their second year.

If I am right and Butler’s shooting improves, he will be in high demand around the league and it will be interesting how much the Bulls will be willing to shell out. If his shooting percentage forces the Bulls to invest in Lysol spray for the United Center, he will be locked into a reputation of being a one way player (think Tony Allen of the Memphis Grizzlies) and will not make as much. Now before everyone start with the…”Butler is a Thibodeau favorite that fits in with the Bulls defensive scheme” argument, stop it.

Dec 2, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls small forward Luol Deng (9) reacts at the end of the third overtime of their game against the New Orleans Pelicans at the United Center. The Pelicans won 131-126. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

Remember Luol Deng?

Deng was in the same boat as well. Remember the Bulls started in the $8 million range for him then upped it to $10 million reportedly before trading him to Cleveland. Butler did not match Deng’s offensive output. Now with the signing of Doug McDermott and Nikola Mirotic along with the potential of Tony Snell, Butler is now in a precarious position.

Well Pippen Peoples, it’s now time to debate. Understand that in 2015-16 the Chicago Bulls have already $63 million dollars in guaranteed salary requirements to nine players which includes Tony Snell’s third year option but does NOT include Butler. With the cloudy marketplace of the NBA landscape, should Jimmy Butler be locked up now while the price is right?

This will be a huge story throughout training camp. Hopefully for the Bulls fans, if a deal gets done you will see a lot more of this in the coming years…

David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Pippen Ain’t Easy will be right with you with our opinions on what is going down with the negotiations. Keep it locked to Pippen Ain’t Easy for your best choice of Bulls news, previews and reviews.

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