The Jimmy Butler sweepstakes are heating up with multiple title contenders eyeing the six-time All-Star. According to NBA insider, Shams Charania, the veteran forward is keen on teaming up with Stephen Curry and playing for the Warriors. If that doesn’t materialize, he’d reportedly like a return to his home state Texas, and play for the Rockets or the Mavericks. As much as Butler would elevate both those teams, Chandler Parsons believes only one of the two options makes sense.
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The forward, who played for both franchises, claimed that Houston should refrain from signing the Heat superstar. Why? Because he could mess up their chemistry. On FanDuel TV’s Run It Back, Parsons explained,
“Jimmy Butler goes to the Rockets, I think he thinks he’s the number one option. I think that’s not the best situation for Jimmy Butler right now… I like the Houston idea, just because that is like the culture and the thing that they are building over there makes sense… [But] do you believe him? Do you believe he’s not gonna ruffle any feather when he gets there?”
“Uh oh, that’s a problem.” – @MichelleDBeadle pic.twitter.com/cKH5zzHX0H
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) December 13, 2024
Since head coach Ime Udoka took over in Houston, the team has a play hard-nosed, high-intensity style of basketball, which would suit Butler’s playstyle. However, they also share the load on offense pretty evenly, which might not suit the veteran forward.
Jalen Green leads the Rockets in shot attempts with 16.2 per game. However, Alperen Sengun is right behind him with 15.3, and Fred VanVleet is third with 14.3. Veteran forward Dillon Brooks also gets off 11 shots a night, while Jabari Smith Jr., the team’s youngest starter, also gets 9.4 attempts per game.
The Rockets have an attack-by-committee approach, which Parsons believes Butler would disrupt. If he joined, he’d instantly be the most accomplished player on the roster. That would entail wanting to be the first option on offense, a concept Houston doesn’t believe in.
Parsons believes Jimmy Butler to Mavericks is best for all parties
On the flip side, Parsons feels Butler wouldn’t expect that in Dallas. He explained playing alongside two Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving would tame the six-time All-Star and he’ll focus on playing his role rather than try to be the team’s main man. The retired forward said,
“I think he you go to [the Mavericks] and there’s a pecking order. This is Luka’s team, then it’s Kyrie’s team, and then there’s Jimmy Butler. And [a weakness of that team] is defense, so I think he can provide them a lot of things and fill a lot of holes that they [haven’t] quite yet.”
As excited as Parsons is about seeing Butler team up with Doncic and Irving, he’s not getting too ahead of himself. He’s unsure about what Dallas could offer that Miami would accept. Do they give up P.J. Washington? Will they dangle Klay Thompson in front of Pat Riley as an option? Can the Mavericks even land the Heat superstar without giving up a key player? Parsons isn’t sure. However, he is confident that the Mavericks are a much better fit for Butler than the Rockets.
