Storyline: There have been many great two-way players in the league. Paul George and Jimmy Butler are slowly asserting themselves into this category. But who is better?
In the NBA today, it’s rare to see elite playmaking ability on both ends of the floor by a wing player. Despite that, both Jimmy Butler and Paul George have shown extraordinary talent in these areas, during their last healthy seasons. Both players are rising stars in this league, with all star appearances under their belts.
When both were drafted they started out as role players, specializing in high-caliber defense. As they developed on the offensive end, each became known for their explosiveness along with their isolation abilities. Paul George and Jimmy Butler both won Most Improved Player and have evolved into their team’s primary offensive option. Paul George took advantage of Danny Granger’s injury to assert himself as the team’s leader while Jimmy Butler did likewise in Chicago, only this time it was Derrick Rose who was injured. Now not only are they known for their defensive prowess but both players have made the leap to become primary offensive contributors.
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Each have had their one-on-one battles with LeBron James over the past few years, most of which ended in The King’s favor. Coincidentally, they happen to play in the same division, meaning we’ll get to see these two up-and-coming superstars go head-to-head four times next year. However, each go into next season with speculation surrounding them. Most notably, the severity of Paul George’s injury and the impact it will have on his game. Jimmy Butler also has doubt around him as it’s uncertain whether last season was just an anomaly for him. Both George and Butler will also have to adjust to a new, more up-tempo offense that their coaches will be implementing. However, it is clear that they”l look to compete against one another and try to outdo the other.
Jimmy Butler, for the time being, has the advantage in terms of durability heading into next season. Gruesome injuries, like the one Paul George suffered, can jeopardize any athlete’s career. Butler may not be the most durable player in the league, after all he’s only had one season playing more than 70 games, but his lack of significant injuries makes it more likely he’ll remain healthy. He also won’t have the burden of Tom Thibodeau’s heavy minutes, as Fred Hoiberg should be much more lenient.
Offensively, advanced statistics are much more favorable towards Jimmy Butler than Paul George. For argument’s sake, we’ll be comparing each of their last healthy seasons. According to Basketball Reference, Jimmy Butler produced more win shares than Paul George despite being on a team with six less wins. Jimmy Butler’s offensive rating of 122 is also far superior to Paul George’s offensive rating of 107. His offensive box plus/minus of 4.1 trumps George’s mark of 2.9.
Last season, Butler also proved to be a better and more efficient shooter than George. He posted career highs in shooting with a 46% field goal percentage and a 38% three point percentage. These are superior to any mark Paul George has posted throughout his career. For what it’s worth, Jimmy Butler also grabbed 1.7 offensive boards, more than double the 0.8 Paul George posted in the 2013-14 season. Furthermore, Paul George had twice the amount of turnovers per game that Jimmy Butler had, turning it over 2.8 times a game compared to Butler’s 1.4. On the defensive end, according to Draft Express, Butler had more blocks per game and had a greater block percentage.
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That’s not to say Jimmy Butler has the clear-cut advantage over Paul George. As a matter of fact, it’s far from it. For whatever leverage Jimmy Butler has in durability, Paul George makes up for in consistency. Jimmy Butler has really only had one season of playing all-star type offensive basketball. Paul George, on the other hand, already has multiple all-star campaigns, averaging better than 17 points a game. According to ESPN, Paul George’s career averages across the board are superior to Jimmy Butler’s. Paul George has also proven to be the better overall defender. His defensive rating of 97 is markedly better than Jimmy Butler’s rating of 104. Paul George’s defensive box plus/minus of 1.8 triples Jimmy Butler’s mark of 0.6. George posted better marks than Butler in both defensive rebounds and steals.
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Jimmy Butler does however possess superior shooting efficiency, as Paul George’s shots are more frequently unassisted. As Basketball Reference notes, Paul George had 36% of his two point field goals and 78% of his three point field goals assisted. On the other hand, Jimmy Butler had 57% of his two point field goals and 92% of his three point field goals assisted. In spite of all the advanced statistics favoring Jimmy Butler offensively, Paul George has always had better statistical box score production. In 2013-14, his 21.7 points, 6.8 boards, and 3.5 assists were all greater than the numbers Jimmy Butler posted in his career year last season. This is despite the fact that Jimmy Butler, routinely, plays more minutes than Paul George.
Finally, it’s undeniable that Paul George is the alpha-male of this Pacers team, implying that he’ll get the touches needed to put up high numbers. On the other hand, for all we’ve raved about Jimmy Butler stee\pping up and being the leader, he still shares the court with a former MVP. If their two egos ever collide, it’s entirely possible Jimmy Butler’s production could dip as well.
So after all this, who ends up being better next season? The general consensus would have to be Jimmy Butler. Seeing as, statistically, he and Paul George are pretty evenly matched, the questions surrounding Paul George’s injury are going to be the deciding factor. Nonetheless, if Paul George can return to his pre-injury form, this should be one fun battle to watch for many years to come.
