When the Bulls drafted Jimmy Butler in 2011, Luol Deng had no clue they were drafting his replacement. Deng, a long time veteran, knew his departure from the Bulls was strictly business. It was a matter of productivity versus salary, and despite Butler lacking offensive abilities, he still showed more promise and upside than the aging Deng.
Luol Deng was often considered the glue-guy of the team. His leadership and hard work caught the eyes of the coaches, and eventually the fans as well. His ability to play stingy defense on one end and still score 18 points per game in the flow of the offense was something Bulls fans appreciated. No matter how depleted the Bulls may seem, nothing was forced out of Luol Deng; everything flowed smoothly through the offense.
The organization’s loyalty to Deng dated back to 2009 when the Bulls chose to sign Deng to a large deal and as they let Ben Gordon walk. Gordon, like Deng, came into the league in 2004 and was aching to sign a large deal. Eventually, Ben Gordon signed his deal with the Detroit Pistons when the Bulls decided to roll the dice with Luol Deng.
Deng was considered to be the Iron Man of the team, especially under Tom Thibodeau. Deng would log in 40 minutes per game almost every night and led the NBA in minutes played. At times it felt necessary with a depleted bench, but it’s no secret that’s why Deng would often run out of gas during the playoffs. Butler is following in his predecessor’s footsteps as he also led the NBA in minutes played under Tom Thibodeau. However, with a new coach on the bench, Butler could see a lot more rest which will benefit him moving forward.
Luol Deng had the honor of receiving an invitation for the Allstar game twice in his career as a Chicago Bulls, but that’s something Jimmy Butler is poised to outnumber as he’s already halfway there.
Though both players played a similar role on their teams, their personalities were almost opposite. Both are extremely kind and friendly towards the media, but Butler enjoys shining in the spotlight in the streets of Hollywood. While Butler is on Jimmy Kimmel Live or hanging out with Mark Wahlberg, Luol Deng is often in Africa helping the less fortunate during his summer vacation.
When Luol Deng had an unexpected injury in 2012, Jimmy Butler rose from the ashes of Tom Thibodeau’s bench and shocked the world. At the time, Butler was only known for his defense only. His offense was eye pinching to watch, it felt appropriate to cringe at times as you watched him brick open jumpshots after open jumpshots. However, through hard work and dedication, Butler managed to earn the management’s trust enough for them to let go of Luol Deng and offer Jimmy Butler a maximum deal, something Deng never had the chance to receive during his tenure.
Butler going into his fifth season with the Bulls has already inked a maximum contract with the Bulls tagging his name side-by-side with Derrick Rose, whether fans like it or not. The offense will run heavily through Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler next season, which only means Butler’s role will be expanding. Deng was never trusted with an expanded role on offense with-or-without Rose, but Butler is ready to step out of the shadows of his predecessor and move into a much greater role this season.
- Jimmy Butler’s 4th season (2014-2015): 38.7 MPG, 20.0 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 3.3 APG 46.2% FG, 37.8% 3-pt.
- Luol Deng’s 4th season (2007-2008): 33.8 MPG, 17.0 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 2.5 APG, 47.9% FG, 36.4% 3-pt
