Jimmy Butler probably isn’t one of the more endearing names for Philadelphia 76ers fans. Although he was part of the team that had arguably the most memorable playoff run of the Joel Embiid era, he ultimately spent only half a season with the franchise, unceremoniously leaving the team that same year.
Now with the Warriors, the six-time All-Star continues to play at a high level. But with Golden State currently in the midst of the crowded and cutthroat Western Conference, many of their fans – and even their own head coach – have become restless. Some are even calling Butler out for not doing more when the team does basically treating him like an untouchable piece.
A key part of these complaints – of the exaggerated variety – is the fact that Butler hasn’t done much to raise their team’s ceiling this season, unlike last season. However, it seems like people are completely glossing over Butler’s nature as a player, which the 76ers are all too familiar with: that he’s a great floor-raiser who shouldn’t be mistaken for a messianic force.
Warriors realize something the 76ers always knew about Jimmy Butler
Butler’s best attribute is that he’s a big playmaker. However, his regular season production has always paled in comparison to his postseason wonders. With the Warriors struggling in the race west, Butler looks the part settle when in fact this is just who he is.
When the 76ers had him in the 2018-19 season, Butler served as a lethal option in the secondary or even tertiary. Even in the playoffs, he never really did the heavy lifting, albeit intentionally with Embiid, Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris around him.
So it’s simply unreasonable for the Warriors to demand him to be someone he’s not. He’s not a bulky goalscorer. He’s not a bomb waiting to explode in the perimeter. He is at his best when given a role where he can become opportunistic and exploit the weaknesses of the opponent’s defence. Golden State even has him in such a space, with Steph Curry still holding the reins on the hardwood.
If anything, the Warriors faithful should blame their lack of functional depth and the fact that their coaching staff hasn’t really adapted to the handicaps of their roster. Jimmy Butler will always be Jimmy Butler, and as the 76ers well know, while he is perfectly capable of being dominant, he will never forcibly assume the mantle of superhero just to do so.
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