The NBA’s underrated list

Most Improved but Still Underrated

Jimmy Butler

21.9 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.6 SPG, FG% 48.3%, 3P% 33.7%
ORating 126, DRating 105, TS% 60.1%, WS/48 .234, VORP 5.3, RPM 4.18, PER 22.49

The Chicago Bulls are stacked and likely the only Eastern Conference team that can realistically land the Larry O’Brien Trophy. This Bulls team doesn’t just have different names pencilled into the team sheet, they look different, feel different and play different to past incarnations. These Bulls are different, a better collection of talent, with new offensive schemes, getting better shots, and with better shooters taking them. Derrick Rose has returned and is working his way back into Derrick Rose form, the stench of Carlos Boozer’s rotting corpse has wafted west to L.A., replaced by rejuvenated free agent acquisition Pau Gasol and Nikola Mirotic. Gasol and Joakim Noah now run multiple two big high post sets, creating space on the wings and nobody has appreciated the additional room more than Jimmy Butler.

Butler came into this season perceived primarily as an elite defender, however the fourth year guard has completely transformed himself into an elite two-way player. Butler is taking more shots (14.6 v 10.3) and is making more of them (TS% 60 1% v 52.2%), he leads the 23-10 Bulls in scoring, steals, minutes and PER. His rebound and assist percentages have spiked as he currently ranks fifth in the NBA in Win Shares, eighth in Offensive Rating, ninth in VORP, 16th in PER and 17th in RPM.

Being a young player without an established baseline of performance and playing in a major media market has helped Butler avoid some of the Kyle Lowry Lag Effect. He is a lock to win the Most Improved Player award however he remains appreciably underrated compared to his output. Current All-Star voting returns indicate Butler, ranked fifth among Eastern Conference guards will need help to be voted in by the coaches if he is to take his place at Madison Square Garden on February 15th.

By any reasonable analysis, Jimmy Butler is having unquestionably the best season of any shooting guard in the NBA not named James Harden. Better than Dwyane Wade, better than Klay Thompson and way, way better than Kobe Bryant.

Next: Most Underrated Superstar