After second-year swingman Jimmy Butler's statement against the Miami Heat in the 2013 playoffs -- when he averaged 15.6 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 1.6 3-PPG, 1.6 SPG, 43.1 FG% and 95.2 FT% -- the Chicago Bulls cleared the starting two-guard role for him by letting Richard Hamilton and Marco Belinelli walk. Kirk Hinrich is there, should Butler falter, but the job is his for the taking. What can we expect from him statistically, though?
He should rack up quality rebounding numbers (5-plus per game?) for a guard, as well as plenty of steals and 3s, which makes him an intriguing fantasy option. But how many points can he score? Derrick Rose, who took 17.7 FGA per game in 2011-12 and 19.7 FGA per game the season prior to that, is back. Plus, Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer typically have averaged at least 14 shots per game as Bulls. That doesn't leave a lot of stray shots for Butler.
What could be key for Butler is his ability to get to the free-throw line often. At Marquette, he averaged 6.5 FTA per game his final season and 7.2 FTA the season prior. In 30 games after the All-Star break last season, he averaged 3.9 FTA, and in a dozen playoff games, he averaged 4.6 FTA.
If he can continue to get to the stripe four to five times per game this season and shoot about 80 percent, he would only need about 10 shots per game at last year's 46.7 FG% to top 14 PPG. That would make him a very serviceable fantasy option when combined with the rest of his all-around quality stat production. And if he were to work his way into a couple of more shots per game, he could truly break out in Year 3.
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