Though he’s now a rival, Jimmy Butler feels like he would fit right in with the Indiana Pacers.
Before we begin, it must be made clear that this isn’t a speculative article regarding the prospect of Jimmy Butler actually joining the Indiana Pacers. Butler isn’t going to be on the trading block and won’t be a free agent for some time. The Pacers have no realistic shot at obtaining him, their most likely chance to do so was during free agency this past summer.
Though it’s not in the realm of possibility, the passing of what should have been the rematch date between the Pacers and the Heat (and T.J. Warren/Butler) got me thinking… Jimmy Butler would actually be an incredible fit for this team on a few different levels.
Cultural fit
The Pacers mantra is “We Grow Basketball Here.”
Tanking would never work in Indiana. Anything less than competitive basketball would be surely unacceptable. The history of the Pacers has been loaded with winners and players who work hard and don’t back down. Soft isn’t accepted, neither are excuses. Defense is important, fundamentals are key.
Basketball is pure in Indiana, and the pro sports team is expected to reflect that.
The players on the team are expected to hold themselves individually to that same standard that the team as a whole is held to. Again, no excuses, play hard defense. Put in the effort as a player and you’ll be accepted by the fans, even if your efforts do ultimately fall short. But whatever you do, don’t put forth a lazy effort.
Hard work pays off. Merit is based on results and effort.
A phrase that applies to both the Pacers and Butler is will to win.
Butler wasn’t recruited coming out of high school, opting to begin his college career at a junior college. Right away, he displayed his will to win and gained attention from some Division I programs. He went to Marquette, worked his tail off, and was a first-round draft pick (just barely) at 30th overall.
From there he had to continue to work and press on. He started zero games in his rookie season, playing just 8.5 minutes per game. In the following two seasons he would take advantage of increased opportunity and become an All-Star by his fourth season. Undeniable odds and doubters at each step of the way, many players may have lost the will to move onward.
Now, Butler is a five-time All-Star and is leading his team as one of the top-tier competitors in the Eastern Conference.
While some might point to his abrasive personality and reported incidents of being a cancer within the locker room of his previous teams as a reason to avoid him, I actually think this shows how well Butler would fit in Indiana.
Butler’s famous practice with the Minnesota Timberwolves, for instance, came from a place of displeasure because he felt his teammates weren’t taking the mission seriously and didn’t have that same will to win. Laziness isn’t accepted by Butler. A disorganized system isn’t, either, which is likely part of the reason he didn’t re-sign with the Philadelphia 76ers this summer.
Knowing that the Pacers pride themselves on competitive basketball, a mission to win the game, and team effort, I think Butler’s desires and motivations would have fallen right in-line.
Systematic fit
While Butler undoubtedly fits from a cultural standpoint in Indiana, his playstyle and systematic fit might be even better.
The Pacers are not reliant on the 3-pointer (they are dead last in 3-point attempts per game) in a league that continually trends that way. Their defense is strong (7th best defensive rating in the league), their turnovers are low (fifth-best turnover percentage in the NBA), and they move the ball well (6th in assists).
Butler is a microcosm of that system in many ways. He doesn’t rely on the 3-pointer (he and DeMar DeRozan are the only two players in the NBA averaging over 20 points per game with fewer than three attempted 3-pointers per game), plays solid defense (1.2 DBPM), and is moving the ball better than he ever has (6.1 assists per game).
The biggest issue might be the overlap in skillset and ball-handling duties with Victor Oladipo, an issue that could potentially be fixed with proper game planning and set plays that accentuate both of them. There might be some leadership concerns as well and a power struggle over who the head captain of the team is, but referring back to the ultimate will to win, it’s possible those kinds of things would be worked out in this alternate reality.
So, ultimately, no, the Pacers and Butler aren’t going to be married together anytime soon. Butler has found a good fit with the Heat and they’re a likely rival for the Pacers for the time being.
But in terms of hypothetical, 2K-esque fascinations, Butler in Indiana is one I can get behind.
In fact, with the NBA off for at least another several weeks, this might be an interesting 2K experiment to carry out.