Biggest Steal of the draft: Jimmy Butler or Kawhi Leonard?

[johnnyvann840]

Here's a question? Anyone think this draft (with Jimmy and Mirotic) could turn into in comparisons to the draft of 1987?

I mean we drafted Scottie and Horace and they eventually become the finishing pieces for a title team? Not that I think either of Mirotic or Butler will become as good as Scottie, but just that it could turn into something real special.

Yeah, let's not compare Mirotic/Butler EVER to Pippen/Grant. I get what you're saying, but you're casually glossing over the fact Pippen is a HOF and top 50 all-time player.

No im not glossing over anything because I stated the fact that mirotic and butler will never become as good as Scottie.

Just comparing how similar it could be where we had Jordan and then drafted his help in one draft. Same as where we have Rose and this draft could be a big one as far as finding the help for rose (maybe Mirotic can become a second banana).
I mean we have never signed a big time free agent even back then. Most of our work had been through the draft. That is what I am comparing it to.

This was a great post two years ago.

[RedBulls23]

Here's a question? Anyone think this draft (with Jimmy and Mirotic) could turn into in comparisons to the draft of 1987?

I mean we drafted Scottie and Horace and they eventually become the finishing pieces for a title team? Not that I think either of Mirotic or Butler will become as good as Scottie, but just that it could turn into something real special.

nice

thanks for bumping this post.

I couldn't remember what thread I had made it in.

[Hangtime84]

Bows to Red

[ryan44]

Leonard all day. Give me the guy with a Finals MVP and DPOY, even if it actually cost a decent starter like George Hill, over Butler. We could argue over if Butler would have some of the same accolades if he were on the Spurs, but I'm taking the guy who has actually done it over a hypothetical. Should Butler play an important role on a championship team, and arguably be the most important guy during the finals, I'll revisit the situation.

[RedBulls23]

Leonard all day. Give me the guy with a Finals MVP and DPOY, even if it actually cost a decent starter like George Hill, over Butler. We could argue over if Butler would have some of the same accolades if he were on the Spurs, but I'm taking the guy who has actually done it over a hypothetical. Should Butler play an important role on a championship team, and arguably be the most important guy during the finals, I'll revisit the situation.

The topic of the thread isn't who is the better player or who you would rather have. It's who was the biggest steal/value pick.

It's Jimmy in that scenario all day everyday. He was the 30th pick in the draft, while Kawhi was traded for an asset/starting pg and was a near lottery pick. It's again about the value of the pick.

[RedBulls23]

On the topic of Kawhi, I just realized that he has never been selected for an all-star game. Has a guy with his accolades (finals MVP and DPOY) ever NOT been an all-star?

[Droseisthe1]

Leonard wasn't a steal. He was an all American & the player of the year in his conference along with being a lotto pick. Jimmy was just a guy. Jimmy is the definition of a hidden gem.

True, but the fact they traded GEORGE FREAKIN' HILL for Kawhi does make it somewhat a steal.

I really really wanna see what Jimmy does next round. If LeBron is guarding him and he's still able to put up something along the lines of 18-20 on 44 FG or above, I think Jimmy is the more complete player than Kawhi.

[Droseisthe1]

On the topic of Kawhi, I just realized that he has never been selected for an all-star game. Has a guy with his accolades (finals MVP and DPOY) ever NOT been an all-star?

I can only think of Michael and Hakeem to have won both awards. So obviously those two were all-stars. Yeah, you're right it's pretty crazy to think Kawhi hasn't been an All-Star yet, but out West, it's a crapshoot many years and deserving guys get left off. Although, he was hurt to start the year so maybe he didn't really play enough games to fully justify putting him in this year. Outside of this season, he hasn't put up the regular season numbers to really justify being an All-Star out West anyway.

But it is a really weird career accolades trajectory. Not sure anyone has really won it in this order the way Leonard has.

[ryan44]

Leonard all day. Give me the guy with a Finals MVP and DPOY, even if it actually cost a decent starter like George Hill, over Butler. We could argue over if Butler would have some of the same accolades if he were on the Spurs, but I'm taking the guy who has actually done it over a hypothetical. Should Butler play an important role on a championship team, and arguably be the most important guy during the finals, I'll revisit the situation.

The topic of the thread isn't who is the better player or who you would rather have. It's who was the biggest steal/value pick.

It's Jimmy in that scenario all day everyday. He was the 30th pick in the draft, while Kawhi was traded for an asset/starting pg and was a near lottery pick. It's again about the value of the pick.

You can't separate those two issues. A guy gets designated a "steal" precisely because of the player he becomes since the team gets a better player for the value, be that a draft pick, another player(s), or both.

Why are we even talking about how big a "steal" Butler was to begin with? Because of his talent/because of how good a player he's become.

[RedBulls23]

Leonard all day. Give me the guy with a Finals MVP and DPOY, even if it actually cost a decent starter like George Hill, over Butler. We could argue over if Butler would have some of the same accolades if he were on the Spurs, but I'm taking the guy who has actually done it over a hypothetical. Should Butler play an important role on a championship team, and arguably be the most important guy during the finals, I'll revisit the situation.

The topic of the thread isn't who is the better player or who you would rather have. It's who was the biggest steal/value pick.

It's Jimmy in that scenario all day everyday. He was the 30th pick in the draft, while Kawhi was traded for an asset/starting pg and was a near lottery pick. It's again about the value of the pick.

You can't separate those two issues. A guy gets designated a "steal" precisely because of the player he becomes since the team gets a better player for the value, be that a draft pick, another player(s), or both.

Why are we even talking about how big a "steal" Butler was to begin with? Because of his talent/because of how good a player he's become.

Yes you can separate the two issues. This thread is a hindsight thread. It's all about what the team had to give up to get said player. Bulls had to give up the 30th pick in the draft. Spurs used a near lottery pick and a starting caliber PG to get Kawhi. So the value for the Bulls came out better.

[ryan44]

The topic of the thread isn't who is the better player or who you would rather have. It's who was the biggest steal/value pick.

It's Jimmy in that scenario all day everyday. He was the 30th pick in the draft, while Kawhi was traded for an asset/starting pg and was a near lottery pick. It's again about the value of the pick.

You can't separate those two issues. A guy gets designated a "steal" precisely because of the player he becomes since the team gets a better player for the value, be that a draft pick, another player(s), or both.

Why are we even talking about how big a "steal" Butler was to begin with? Because of his talent/because of how good a player he's become.

Yes you can separate the two issues. This thread is a hindsight thread. It's all about what the team had to give up to get said player. Bulls had to give up the 30th pick in the draft. Spurs used a near lottery pick and a starting caliber PG to get Kawhi. So the value for the Bulls came out better.

Agree to disagree. I'm taking Kawhi for George Hill over the #30 pick for Butler all day, every day.

[RedBulls23]

Agree to disagree. I'm taking Kawhi for George Hill over the #30 pick for Butler all day, every day.

Again, you are comparing who the better player is, not the value of what was given up to get said player.

Jimmy is an all-star, all-defensive team and very likely will get an all-nba honor from his play this year. It's not like he was some role player. The value of getting said kind of player with the 30th pick is higher in this situation.

But whatever...agree to disagree.

[Mbrahv0528]

Agree to disagree. I'm taking Kawhi for George Hill over the #30 pick for Butler all day, every day.

Again, you are comparing who the better player is, not the value of what was given up to get said player.

Jimmy is an all-star, all-defensive team and very likely will get an all-nba honor from his play this year. It's not like he was some role player. The value of getting said kind of player with the 30th pick is higher in this situation.

But whatever...agree to disagree.

It's ok you're right my friend. And 99% of the posters here would agree. Jimmy was the bigger steal in the draft period.

[kodo]

Butler was a better "steal" or "bargain," even if Kawhi proves to be a better player in the long run.

Leonard was still drafted 15, where good players can still be drafted like Paul George or Klay Thompson. And he was projected to go top 5 (there were some rumors he tanked the combine).

Butler was picked 30, and actually projected to go 2nd round.