Jimmy Butler (Photo : Jerry Lai/Reuters)
Are Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler really feuding? Will it lead to a split in the Chicago Bulls backcourt?
The Chicago Bulls ended their season sooner than expected since they were touted as favorites to make the Eastern Conference Finals. However, they were forced to cross paths with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the team just unraveled in the series.
But there was one thing that caught public attention and is projected to be a lingering problem for the team in the future. Observers noted that the Bulls' vaunted backcourt of former MVP Derrick Rose and current Most Improved Player, Jimmy Butler were feuding during the last game (Game 6).
The Bulls will face changes next season as they replaced Coach Tom Thibodeau with Fred Hoiberg. Would there also be changes in the roster?
In that season-ending game, Derrick Rose "disappeared" in the second half and it was not because of the Cavs' defense. CBS Sports aired this observation: "Sources describe a passive-aggressive reaction from Rose that was the culmination of tensions building in recent weeks with Butler's emergence as a primary scorer."
On the other side of the coin, there were also people who did not perceive the conflict as a big deal, as in this strongly worded piece from Blog A Bull which claimed that the "beef" was not at all real. Nevertheless, there is a certain tension arising from two players intentionally attempting to lead the team.
Jimmy Butler remarkably won his "bet on himself" when he refused a contract extension offer and chose to become a restricted free agent. Now, that he's a certified alpha dog, he got the max offer that he wanted (and most people would say, he deserved).
The Butler signing gives the Bulls more stability since he signed a 5 year, $ 95 million deal. It also signals that they envision a bigger role for Butler. But when that happens, the Bulls will have majority of their cap locked in the backcourt.
The point is, the Bulls are betting on Butler and sad to say, feel uncertain with Rose. Conflict between two alpha dogs sharing on one team (think Shaq and Kobe as the best example) usually end in two ways: Championships or trades. When a team has the first, they can avoid the other.
For Chicago, they may have to make a choice next season.
