NBA Power Rankings: The Top 10 Shooting Guards in the NBA

8.) Jimmy Butler (Blend = 7.2) 

Apr 14, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler (21) during the second half at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

Advanced Stats: PER=13.5, Win Shares=.131, RPM=2.12, Wins Produced=.180, ASPM=2.20

Despite boasting a Blend Score that is .1 less then Tony Allen, Jimmy “Buckets” Butler is ranked a spot higher. There are a few reasons I made this executive decision (in addition to those discussed in the previous slide).

Firstly, Butler is only 24-years old, and in contrast to Tony Allen, almost guaranteed to improve. Secondly, Butler’s offensive efficiency rivals Allen’s, despite having to shoulder a heavier load on an offensively inept Bulls team. Thirdly, Butler’s lower defensive RPM rating can be at least partially attributed to “diminishing returns”; the idea that since Butler has shared the court with other great defenders (Noah, Butler, Deng), his skill-set  has become redundant, and thus his impact diminished.

That said, there are some troubling signs when it comes to Jimmy Butler. His production fell off a cliff from 2013 to 2014, possible symptoms of coach Thibodeau’s grind-till-you-die mentality, and the mental dejection following another missed year from Derrick Rose. Jimmy gets the nod today, but if he doesn’t bounce back in 2015, he could fall out of the Top-10 altogether.