The Chicago Bulls have had their share of ups and downs this season, but one of the unquestioned bright spots has been the play of Jimmy Butler, and his achievements have been rewarded with a reserve spot in the NBA All-Star Game.
His selection, which was first reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports and confirmed by Marc Stein of ESPN, is the first selection of his career, and it comes on the heels of the best stretch of play in his young career.
So far in 43 games for the Bulls, Butler has averaged 20.1 points per game, six rebounds, and 3.3 assists per contest. He’s also been a stalwart on the defensive end of the floor, with 1.8 steals per game, and he’s quickly become one of head coach Tom Thibodeau’s favorite weapons.
Butler’s performance, especially early in the season, was critical to keeping the Bulls’ heads above water as injuries decimated the roster.
Derrick Rose has been heating up as of late, but players like Joakim Noah and Mike Dunlavey have both had their effectiveness limited by their ailments. Butler’s splendid play in their stead has made him into one of the rising stars in the NBA, and his profile is already growing quite a bit.
That growth in popularity will prove critical to Butler after the season ends. He will be a restricted free agent at the end of the campaign, and there will be teams undoubtedly looking into adding him to their roster.
The Bulls have some cap space with which to re-sign Butler, but if a team puts forward a big-time offer sheet in the offseason, the Bulls may have to make a tough decision regarding their young star.
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The NBA All-Star Game will take place in Brooklyn on February 8.
