Da Windy City
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Chicago Bulls: Four best players over last twenty seasons

By Vincent Parise

MILWAUKEE, WI - APRIL 30: Jimmy Butler #21 of the Chicago Bulls celebrates with Derrick Rose #1 after shooting a three pointer in the first quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the 2015 NBA Playoffs at the BMO Harris Bradley Center on April 30, 2015 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using the photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike McGinnis/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WI - APRIL 30: Jimmy Butler #21 of the Chicago Bulls celebrates with Derrick Rose #1 after shooting a three pointer in the first quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the 2015 NBA Playoffs at the BMO Harris Bradley Center on April 30, 2015 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using the photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike McGinnis/Getty Images) /
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Chicago Bulls, Jimmy Butler
Chicago Bulls (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /

21. player. 24. . SG/SF. Chicago Bulls. Jimmy Butler

Number Two

You have to give the slight edge to Jimmy Butler over Zach LaVine and Joakim Noah as the second-best player since the year 2000. He was always one of the best players both offensively and defensively for the Bulls as they tried to win an NBA title. The Bulls selected Butler with the 30th overall pick of the first round in the 2011 NBA Draft. He went on to play six seasons with the Bulls and his impact was big.

The guy who came right below Butler on this list in Zach LaVine was acquired, along with Lauri Markkanen and Kris Dunn, for Butler in a trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He spent a year and a half with them before ending up with the Philadelphia 76ers. That was right before he landed where he is right now with the Miami Heat. There, he has developed into an even better player as he led them to the NBA Finals in the 2020 bubble.

His accomplishments in his post-Bulls career are impressive but that isn’t what lands him on this list as the Bulls tenure is only taken into consideration. He was phenomenal with Chicago too and you can argue those years are what molded him into the player that he is today.

It is a shame that he couldn’t have stuck around and helped this team win more but he should be proud of that portion of his career. Butler was a very good Bull and it took someone special to keep him from being the best the team has seen this century.

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