Lakers’ biggest offseason mistake was not acquiring Jimmy Butler
The Los Angeles Lakers had the cap space to sign Jimmy Butler last offseason, but the two sides never seemed close to a deal.
When the Los Angeles Lakers and the rest of the basketball world were waiting for Kawhi Leonard to sign this past offseason, the Heat were quietly completing a four-team deal that included the Philadelphia 76ers, LA Clippers, and Portland Trail Blazers so they could acquire Jimmy Butler. Then they immediately signed him to a max four-year, 142 million dollar deal.
The Lakers did “have genuine interest,” in Butler earlier on in his free agency process, and even pushed for a meeting with him. But even Jimmy could tell he was more thought of as a backup plan if they could not sign the bigger fish like Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, and even Kyrie Irving over him.
Like Cheap Trick’s song, “I Want You to Want Me”, all Butler wanted was to be wanted, and to be a team’s number one option in free agency. He told Sam Amick of the Athletic earlier in September,
"“Here (with the Heat), I’m wanted man,” Butler said. “And that’s all you ever want as a human being, as a basketball player, as anything is to feel wanted. I’m wanted. I’m welcomed here. And I couldn’t be in a happier place, or around better guys.”"
Enter Pat Riley and the Miami Heat, who swooped up Butler and found their star and face of the franchise moving forward.
This may seem like a typical Lakers fan response by complaining about a player they did not land in free agency. However, this is not a crazy Zion Williamson jersey swap into a Lakers uniform that will never happen, the Lakers legitimately had a chance to sign Butler.
The Lakers were one of the few that had the cap space to make a max offer to Butler last offseason, and the Heat were not, but Miami was able to have the foresight to still go after Butler in a sign and trade.
Then Butler was able to take this Heat team to the Finals after missing the playoffs in a dreadful Eastern Conference last season. He has also played a big role in helping Bam Adebayo become a break out all-star this season, and was their leader in the locker room.
On the other hand, the Lakers have been great without Butler this season as well and had one of the best seasons in franchise history without him. But at times their glaring need for a perimeter defender and a second ball-handler alongside LeBron has been very evident, especially without defensive ace Avery Bradley on their playoff run in the bubble.
If the Lakers would have made Butler their plan A, instead of Kawhi Leonard, they could have created a less than feared big three with him rather than the super team trio of Leonard, Davis, and James. Also, all of their flaws this season and on their playoff run would have practically disappeared by having Jimmy on the roster.
One of the biggest reasons the Lakers ended up with Bradley, Danny Green, Quinn Cook, and Troy Daniels as their offseason backcourt additions, is because they waited so long in the process to go after anyone after waiting on Leonard’s decision.
If they had signed Butler when free agency began, he could have generated a ton more of offense and hit a few more outside shots. Butler’s percentages might have skewed upward if he got the consistent open looks like the other guards have been getting with LeBron James and Anthony Davis drawing most of the defenses attention.
Butler’s biggest flaw in the past has been his 3-point shot, but he is shooting a decent 36 percent in the playoffs, three percent better than his career average.
Out of the group of guards that the Lakers had to sign in free agency instead of Butler, only Quinn Cook has shot better in the playoffs from three percentage-wise, and that is because he only has two attempts.
Green has the identical postseason 3-point percentage as Butler, and long-range is supposed to be his specialty. Bradley and Daniels did not play with the Lakers in the playoffs.
The Lakers are still favored to win over the Heat in the finals, and most people view this as a David versus Goliath finals match up. But the combination of Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and their shooting gives the Heat a punchers chance and makes this series closer than most think.
In their head-to-head matchups, LeBron James and Jimmy Butler lead teams are dead even against each other, with Butler and James both winning 17 games apiece throughout their careers.
However, when it comes to the playoffs and the stat column, James has dominated Butler and won the two playoff series against him. In head-to-head games, James has better averages in every major stat other than steals over Butler.
In the 2013 Eastern Conference Semifinals, LeBron’s Heat were able to take down Butler’s Bulls in five games, but back then most people viewed James versus Rose as the marquee matchup in that series.
When Butler was more of the go-to guy in Chicago in 2015, they met James again in the second round, but this time he was in a Cavaliers jersey. That series was a little closer, but James’ Cleveland squad still won in six games and eventually lost in the Finals.
It is remained to be seen what is going to happen in this series, but the Lakers will arguably have the best two players on the floor with James and Davis.
Next. Lakers are unlike any team the Heat have played. dark
Yet, if they planned their offseason the right way, then they could have had Butler, and arguably the best three players in that will play in the 2020 NBA Finals.