CHICAGO — This is exactly what Jimmy Butler envisioned when he decided to bet on himself in October.
He turned down an extension offer from the Chicago Bulls at the beginning of the season, thinking he could do better as a restricted free agent this summer. What followed has been a career year that included his first All-Star appearance and will likely see him taking home Most Improved Player hardware sometime in the near future.
The only missing piece for Butler to establish himself as a true star was a signature playoff performance.