The Miami Heat know what they have in Jimmy. You have to ask the right questions to find that out as an outsider though.
Wouldn’t you like a question that goes further than skin-deep points per game answers? Who are the top offensive players in the game?
Who do you trust to take the shots in a tight Game Seven? Those types.
What’s The Right Question? Hows That Asked In Right Context?
For this, we want someone who not only scores but inspires scoring. We want players who score in the spotlight, not on a Tuesday against Charlette.
Who is going to take control of a game, rise to the challenge, and MAKE offense? It has to be more than just throwing up points in the first half and it has to be more than just isolation basketball.
Who will hurt you so bad with offense, recognize the way he stresses the defense, and makes offense happen off that reaction? Players like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and Damian Lillard spring to mind.
And if we are stirring down and saying, “Who are the top 30 of this list?” “Who makes the stomach of the defenders turn when he is rolling down the court?”
“Who is a walking bucket?“ Jimmy has to be on the list.
Butler averaged over seven assists per game and was fifth in player impact efficiency last season. He was also in the top 20 of clutch points per game and has been in the top 20 of that stat for four of the last five years.