As long as there's a chance for shooting guard Dwyane Wade to come back into the Chicago Bulls rotation come playoff time, Jimmy Butler will do his absolute best to get them there.
“Yeah, he actually does say that: ‘Get us to the playoffs, because I’ll be able to come back, and I can play,’ ’’ Butler told Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun Times. “So that’s my goal right now. Go out there and be the killer to take us to these wins.’’
Butler has put the team on his shoulders in the past five games, but only managed a 2-3 record within the span, the Marquette product is coming off two straight performances with 10-plus assists, but the Bulls will need more than that to snatch the last playoff spot away from the Miami Heat.
Chicago faces the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday in a matchup that can shake things loose if the Bulls get a win, putting them within striking distance of a very tight playoff race between sixth and 10th place, separated only by 2.5 games.
“We’re still in this playoff talk until told otherwise,’’ Butler said.
Wade's addition could give the Bulls a fighting chance in the first round, but could ultimately prove too much if they can't snag the seventh seed in the East. The Chicago native faces a tough decision in this offseason, where he could potentially seek a less dysfunctional landing place than the one the Bulls have going for them.
“I still think he’s got a lot more basketball left if you ask me,’’ Butler said. “I think everybody knows that I really like the guy as a person. He’s taught me so much on the floor, off the floor, but that’s his decision. You’ve always got to do what’s right, and not only for him, but for his family. But that choice is weighing on him because it is a player option.
“I tell D, ‘You do what you have to do.’’’
Follow Us
Subscribe