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Jimmy Butler: Is He Among The Best From The 2011 NBA Draft?

By Allen Ivey

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Sports Illustrated recently came out with their 2016 list of the top 100 NBA players. If you are like most people, you noticed that Derrick Rose and Kobe Bryant didn’t even crack the top 50, but did you notice who Sports Illustrated believes are the two best players from the 2011 NBA Draft?

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Four players stick out when analyzing the 2011 NBA Draft class: Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, Kawhi Leonard and Chicago Bulls swingman Jimmy Butler. There are a few others who could join them in the near future, but those four have distanced themselves from the crowd.

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If you judged these players according to their stats from last season, you might assume that Kyrie Irving (21.7 ppg, 5.2 apg) and Klay Thompson (21.7 ppg, 3.2 rpg) were the two best players from that draft, yet according to Sports Illustrated’s latest rankings, both Kawhi Leonard (16.5 ppg, 7.2 rpg) and Jimmy Butler (20.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg) are the two out in front.

So what gives? Did Sports illustrated mess this one up, or are Jimmy Butler and Kawhi Leonard better than Klay Thompson and Kyrie Irving?

Let’s take a deeper look to try and rationalize what Sports Illustrated is suggesting.

No. 26 – Klay Thompson

Coming in as 26th on Sport’s Illustrated’s list is a testament to the work that Thompson has put into his game. Klay Thompson has become a lights-out jump shooter and is also reliable on the defensive end. He has averaged 17.5 points per game throughout his entire career and continues to boost his numbers year-to-year (as evidenced by his 21.7 ppg last season).  It should also be stated that Thompson is coming into the 2015-16 season as an NBA champion. Winning is the most important stat in basketball. The biggest question concerning Thompson is whether or not he will be his team’s second or third-best player next year. (Draymond Green (16) and Steph Curry (4) both rank higher on SI’s list.)

No. 23 – Kyrie Irving

Statistically, Kyrie Irving has had the most impressive career when you accumulate the stats from his first four seasons. He has averaged 21 points and 5.7 assists per game. However, if this list were about ranking the best accumulative careers, Kobe Bryant would be at the very top. Unfortunately for Bryant and Irving, this list is about analyzing the projection of an individual, mixed with their previous body of work and not just on their name recognition.

Once Irving returns from his injury, he will most likely put up similar numbers once again. That is partially why he doesn’t project higher on the list. Remaining at the same level is only good if you are already better than everyone else. Irving’s injury will also prohibit him from working on his defense in the offseason. Defense is by far the worst part of his game.

It’s also hard to imagine Irving’s offensive numbers improving a whole lot, as the Cavaliers are loaded with offensive talent. Playing with LeBron James has perks, but it also trims the amount of shots and assist opportunities that Irving would have without him. All in all, Irving is a tremendous player, but until he can prove that he is more than just a scoring point guard, he will have a hard time getting the recognition his fans believe he deserves.

No. 18 – Jimmy Butler

Jimmy Butler went from 98th to 18th in a one-year span. His upside and potential, mixed with his relentless determination and hard work, are the reasons that he is on the verge of becoming an elite NBA player. Butler had a career year last year. He went on to average 20 points per game and was just shy of averaging six rebounds per game. The scariest part about Butler’s performance during the 2014-15 season was the fact that he wasn’t even the featured player in Thibodeau’s offense. Jimmy Butler has become an all-around player now that his offensive game has caught up with his defensive game.

No. 10 – Kawhi Leonard

Kawhi Leonard showed the world what he was made of when he went head-to-head with LeBron and the Miami Heat during the 2014 NBA Finals. Leonard averaged 17.8 points per game in that series and also ended up taking home the Finals MVP trophy. The following season had ups and downs injury-wise, but he still ended up with another season of progression. Averaging 16 points per game in San Antonio’s system is more impressive than it looks. Leonard has set himself to take over the kingdom after Tim Duncan relinquishes the crown. Overall, Kawhi Leonard, much like Jimmy Butler, is a complete player with an upside that is still unknown.

All of that being said, no one would argue the fact that Leonard and Butler have been surprisingly good, but does that negate the fact that Irving and Thompson have been consistently good? What possible reason is there to expect Leonard and Butler will be better than Irving and Thompson next year?

Mar 11, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; San Antonio Spurs small forward Kawhi Leonard (2) is defended by Chicago Bulls shooting guard Jimmy Butler (21) during the first quarter at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-USA TODAY Sports

The biggest difference in these four players is the fact that some people are “superheroes” and some people are “sidekicks”.

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Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler are being handed the keys and are gearing up to be the faces of their respective franchises. Kyrie Irving was the face of Cleveland for his first three seasons and didn’t do much with the opportunity. LeBron and Kevin Love have since joined Cleveland, and Irving actually appears content to take on the roll of a sidekick. Klay Thompson perhaps shares more of the burden with his superhero, Stephen Curry, but that doesn’t make him any less of a sidekick. Also, Draymond Green has come into the picture with his passionate play and currently ranks higher than Klay Thompson on SI’s list as well.

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    • Leonard and Butler are both ranked the highest on their teams. Kawhi Leonard comes in just ahead of his future hall of fame teammate Tim Duncan (No. 11). Duncan has been the face of the Spurs ever since David Robinson retired and appears to be narrowing in on retirement himself. Duncan will remain the superhero of the Spurs until he does decide to retire, but that doesn’t make Kawhi Leonard his sidekick. Think of him more as Duncan’s apprentice.

    Butler is in a slightly different situation as he is gearing up to take over a team from a player who isn’t close to retirement (cross your fingers). That player is Derrick Rose. Rose is still a good player and might be able to stay healthy long-term again, but in his absence the past three years, Butler has emerged as an NBA superstar.

    For the sake of arguing: Let’s say Rose does return to his MVP form. Does Jimmy Butler then become Rose’s sidekick? The short answer is no. The reason being is because Jimmy Butler has the heart of a lion. Rose is a determined player himself, but he is also reserved and quiet. Butler has become an outspoken leader and most importantly is not afraid of taking on any challenge (even if that challenge is LeBron James).

    So how is it the fault of Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson that they play with two of the best players in the game? That alone isn’t efficient evidence to support the idea that they are inferior to Leonard and Butler.

    The rest of the evidence comes in when you start looking for holes in their games. Kyrie Irving is arguably the best scorer out of the four, but he is also the worst defender. Irving has had trouble staying in front of quick point guards his entire career. Aside from his horrendous defense, Irving’s leadership has also been questionable in the past as evidenced by his inability to work things out with former teammate Dion Waiters.

    Klay Thompson is an incredible shooter and actually gets credit for being able to hold is own on defense (most shooters don’t for some reason). However, he is still regarded as a shooter. His defense is also nowhere near the level of Jimmy Butler and Kawhi Leonard.  Some Golden State fans may believe otherwise, but the fact of the matter is that Thompson had his chance to prove it back in June. Thompson wasn’t even trusted to attempt covering LeBron. The argument could be made that it was perhaps a strategic move in order for Thompson to have enough energy on the offensive end, but that would still put him in a category behind Leonard and Butler. Jimmy Butler and Kawhi Leonard have both had notable series’ against LeBron, and while I am sure they were exhausted from covering James, they still managed to score a good bit more than Thompson.

    Here are the numbers in each of their most recent playoff match-ups against LeBron:

    • Kawhi Leonard (2014 NBA Finals) – 17.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game.
    • Jimmy Butler (2014-15 Conference Semis) – 21 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game.
    • Klay Thompson (2015 NBA Finals) – 15.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 0.5 steals per game.

    Jimmy Butler had holes in his game as recently as last year, but every offseason, he attacks the gym and polishes his game. He used to be a great defender that couldn’t score. He then became a great defender that could score, but couldn’t shoot. He is currently a great defender that can score and shoot from anywhere on the court. He doesn’t quite shoot the 44% from three that Thompson does, but he did improve to 38 percent from deep after shooting just 28 percent the previous year. Butler’s hard work took him from scoring 2.6 points per game his rookie season, all the way to averaging 20 points per game this past season. These dramatic jumps each season are the reasons Bulls fans can expect to see Jimmy Butler higher on SI’s list next year.

    Kawhi Leonard is similar to Jimmy Butler in many ways. They are both 6’7″ wings that started off as defensive specialists. They are also both incredibly hard workers that work harder than just about anybody else in the NBA. Leonard has never been an All-Star selection like the other three have, but a ring and a Finals MVP trophy argue his case for him. That is why Leonard is held in such high regard. He may not have the stats or accolades as Irving,  Thompson, or even Butler, but he is the most proven when it counts.

    Ultimately, It may not be the popular choice to say that Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler are the two best players from the 2011 NBA Draft. However, if they continue to progress at the rate they have the past couple of years, it won’t just be Thompson and Irving who are passed indefinitely.

    Next: Five Bulls make SI's Top 100 NBA Players List

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