The upcoming NBA season holds not much promise for the Chicago Bulls as sports analysts believe that the former Michael Jordan team will once again fail to reach the playoffs. With the Cleveland Cavaliers bursting at the seams with veteran and fresh NBA stars, it appears that the Chicago Bulls might need to bolster its gameplays, or at least get its players to work together efficiently to have a shot at beating the LeBron James-led group.
One of the most notable feuds in the Chicago Bulls locker room is that pitting 2014 NBA All-Star Jimmy Butler against MVP Derrick Rose. With the entrance of the rookie NBA star in the Chicago Bulls, all eyes were on him as he delivered a spectacular performance in the previous season. However, the successful run of the Chicago Bulls came to a halt when the infamous knee of NBA MVP Derrick Rose opted to make its presence felt. With the limited performance of Derrick Rose in the Chicago Bulls and the healthy disposition of LeBron James and Tristan Thompson, the NBA team's chances of beating the Cleveland Cavaliers to the playoffs in the previous season looked bleak.
This lost chance reportedly greatly caused a lot of friction in the Chicago Bulls locker room. Sources claim that the minimal participation of Derrick Rose did not sit well with Jimmy Butler - with the latter reportedly holding a grudge against the vet for the missed opportunity to play in the NBA Finals. However, such is apparently not the case - that is, according to Jimmy Butler himself.
"We didn't win, that's it," explained Jimmy Butler in an interview with NBA.com, referring to the widely speculated feud between him and Derrick Rose. The 2014 NBA All-Star went on to say, "When you don't win somebody has to find something to blame it on because we had a very good team and we were supposed to win."
He added, "So why not throw out a guy like myself, who had a pretty decent year, and Derrick coming back and say they were clashing. That was a story everyone wanted to talk about and it worked. Everybody is fine. We just want to win." Jimmy Butler then continued to insist that his relationship with the Chicago Bulls vet is "fine" and that he does not have any concern against Derrick Rose.
Throughout his NBA career, Jimmy Butler has proven himself to be quite a versatile player. While the Chicago Bulls already have a notable point guard in Derrick Rose, it appears that Jimmy Butler wants the job as well. Without batting an eyelash, the NBA All-Star declared that he believes he has the ability to become an effective point guard for the Chicago Bulls.
"First off, I think I am a point guard," declared Jimmy Butler. He added, "So I've done a heck of a lot of ball screen work, ball handling, getting into the paint and still handling, floaters, all that stuff point guards do. If I get a chance, high pick and roll more. I want some triple doubles. I've got to get my handle right so I can pass and get it to guys where they can make shots. I told Fred. You ask what position I play, I say point guard."
Furthermore, iSportsweb notes that the playing style and confidence of Jimmy Butler resembles greatly the stance of LeBron James. In showing that he has the competitive ability to match the moves of the Cleveland Cavaliers star last NBA season, the basketball community could find yet another rising legend in the Chicago Bulls player.
Meanwhile, Jimmy Butler looks forward to meeting LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers once again for a spot in the NBA playoffs. The NBA All-Star further shared that the Chicago Bulls definitely have a shot at winning against the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, Jimmy Butler believes that certain factors must be taken into consideration. Citing that health should be prioritized by the Chicago Bulls, presumably by Derrick Rose, this NBA season, Jimmy Butler pointed out that facing the Cleveland Cavaliers would require everyone in his team to be physically and mentally prepared.
