The Chicago Bull have been a mess this year as they failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 2008. There’s been lots of talk of a divided locker room throughout the season, and we may finally have a root cause.
ESPN’s Chris Broussard claims that Jimmy Butler is being criticized by teammates for being allowed to fly on a separate plane to their match up against the Pelicans. Butler cited a family issue, but certain players on the team are pointing to this and other instances of Butler getting preferential treatment.
ESPN’s Chris Broussard shared the following details:
Some players, and I’m not saying it wasn’t a family commitment, but there were some – I know at least one player in particular, a starter – who felt like he was a bit bothered by the fact that Jimmy wasn’t on the plane. And it was a misperception. He felt it was emblematic of a little bit of the preferential treatment that a lot of people say Butler’s been getting now that he’s emerged as the best players on the Bulls from the front office and things like that.
There’s a division. There’s all types of dysfunction in Chicago. There’s kind of a division in that locker room.
The younger players see Butler as the leader. He’s clearly been their best player the last two years. They see him as the leader.
The other guys, the veterans who’ve been there, it’s not so much of disrespect of Jimmy, but they don’t see him as the team as the team leader. They remember when you were averaging two points a game.
Butler is now the star and leader of the team, so if management decides to build around him, any disgruntled teammates will be gone. That is how it works in the league.