Is Jimmy Butler a top 10 SF all time?

[tsherkin]

Hmmmm...

In no order, let's pontificate...

Lebron, Bird, Dr J, Kawhi, Pierce, Billy Cunningham, Nique, Mark Aguirre, Dantley, English, Rodman (?), Mullin, Durant, Worthy, Glen Rice, Mash, Glenn Robinson, B King, Pippen, Hill, Melo, Hondo, Baylor, Paul George. Rick Barry.

Something like that represents the relevant field. I don't really know enough to speak on Arizin, but he's a relevant name as well.

Of those, where does Butler rank? It's an interesting thought.

He doesn't look that remarkable on offense during the RS, but was a two-way player. He's been pretty inconsistent in the playoffs, though he was obviously pretty impressive in 2020 and 2022. Less so in 2023, leastwise as a scorer.

Injured all the time, weak availability.

I dunno, man. Peak for peak, he's a guy worth talking about. I'd generally hold him over Baylor, Rice, Mash and Robinson without having to think about it too hard. Better on D than Aguirre was before he became a Piston. Definitely a guy I'd rank over Melo and Nique.

But I keep coming back to his availability and his playoff inconsistency. Availability makes it hard for me to argue King over him, that's for sure. Hard to evaluate Worthy because we never saw him without Magic. Mullin's run from 89-93 kind of smokes Butler on O, but obviously the D is a large thing in that conversation. Availability also helps end arguments for Grant Hill and leaves someone like Paul George on a similar plane.

Ultimately, I think I have Butler just outside of the top 10; maybe in the top 12, though? Something like that.