Fansided

NBA Season Preview: 5 best perimeter defenders

By John Buhler

Oct 6, 2016; San Jose, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) jogs onto the court prior to the game against the Sacramento Kings at the SAP Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 6, 2016; San Jose, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) jogs onto the court prior to the game against the Sacramento Kings at the SAP Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 7, 2016; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (3) dribbles the ball as Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler (21) defends during the second half at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 7, 2016; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (3) dribbles the ball as Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler (21) defends during the second half at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Jimmy Butler, Chicago Bulls SG

Who knows how good the 2016-17 Chicago Bulls will be this season? It’s a cool story with Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo coming over in 2016 NBA free agency to join Jimmy Butler out on the perimeter, but will that yield winning basketball for second-year head coach Fred Hoiberg?

Without question, the best player on the Bulls is Butler. He is a two-time NBA All-Star, an Olympic Gold medalist, and a three-time All-Defensive second teamer. Frankly, he’ll have to be in 2016-17 for Chicago to be successful. Wade is old and Rondo doesn’t care about defense.

Butler has the physicality to guard top ball-handlers one through three. He’ll have to do that to make up for Rondo’s lackadaisical effort on that end of the floor. Many feel that Butler is a top-15 talent in the league. Now it’s his time to shine.

He has graded positively in Defensive Box Plus-Minus in all five of his NBA seasons since coming out of Marquette University. Butler has been responsible for at least 2.6 Defensive Win Shares each year since his second NBA season.

Butler has quick hands (1.4 steals per game), adept on the glass (4.5 rebounds per game), and he’s even a solid shot blocker for a wing (0.5 blocks per game). With him needing to carry the Bulls defensively, he’ll have more eyes on him this winter than ever before.

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