Chicago Bulls’ Jimmy Butler Is Extremely Confident

Chicago Bulls' swingman Jimmy Butler is in a contract year and is currently oozing with confidence Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Chicago Bulls' swingman Jimmy Butler is in a contract year and is currently oozing with confidence Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports /
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Chicago Bulls’ swingman Jimmy Butler is in a contract year and is currently oozing with confidence

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Chicago Bulls’ swingman Jimmy Butler is in a contract year and clearly wants to show that he is worth big money.

The two sides could work a deal by October 31 but if they don’t get a deal done by then, Jimmy Butler will be a restricted free agent in 2015. Jimmy Butler, who had a poor shooting season last year, looks better this preseason and is already full of confidence.

“My confidence is high, and that’s the way you have to play this game,” Butler said via Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago. “All summer I worked on my game, the biggest thing is just confidence, taking shots I know I can make. I’m really happy on the way that I’m going right now, but I still got to keep going.”

Bulls’ head coach Tom Thibodeau also had praise for Jimmy Butler.

“He’s just a good player, that’s what he is,” Thibodeau said. “He’s going to score in transition. He can score in the post, he can score moving without the ball, cutting, he gets to the free throw line, he can make shots. … He’s an all-around scorer. He’ll find different ways to put the ball in the basket.”

If Jimmy Butler doesn’t sign an extension, he could be in for big money in free agency. In other words, it may be in his best interest to wait until the summer to worry about his contract.

Jimmy Butler averaged 13.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.9 steals per game while shooting 39.7% from the field, 28.3% from beyond the arc and 76.9% from the free throw line last season. He has averaged 8.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 42.5% from the floor, 30.9% from three and 78.2% from the charity stripe in his three-year NBA career.

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