I mean I've heard of sophomore slumps, but this is a major drop. I know he's coming off knee surgery and he's played somewhat better lately (as in cracking double-digit scoring every so often), but what the hell? 6.5 points per game average -- when he averaged 15.4 last year... 32% shooting... steals are down by more than half... has taken 13 three attempts and missed 12 of them ... and was benched recently for a game.
Perfect storm - coaching change, competition for minutes/shots (Odom), major injury, etc. He's having to find a new role for himself after being featured so much last year. Tough situation. Evan
I think it's a combination of the injury, the strong play of Wade (before he got injured) and Odom basically playing his position. I don't feel very sorry for Butler, though, after he ran his mouth like that last year.
Also, Eddie Jones was injured much of last year. Now it's Alston, Wade, Jones, Odom playing PG, SG, SF. And, as Baqui99 said...maybe he is just not that good. I was at a Heat game recently and I hardly even noticed Butler there, even though he played (I think it was shortly after he came back from the injury, though).
I haven't seen any games yet, but I know he's better than Wade. With Odom there, he probably should play somewhere else. A knee injury is also pretty hard to come back from. I love how people jump to conclusions about players after 1 or 2 seasons. Yeah...Jermaine O'Neal and Randolph suck...Dirk, Kobe, and KG too.
better than wade? did you see how well wade was playing before he got injuried? He was the best rookie is the league for a month.
eh...I will admit I was surprised with how well Wade was playing, but from what I've seen overall over years I like Butler more.
SVG has a couple of young studs + Odom and a pair of sickenly overpaid 'pieces'. Let's see if Riles can do a Phoenix and rise from the ashes with a great salary dump trade, ala Phoenix, of course.
Bad injury, bad rehab. Give him the year off. They're done this year. No size. I think he'll be back, but it takes time and real practice, not jetting around in season. Wade was a stud earlier. Who was raining on that? You gotta open your eyes. That team has nothing, nothing up front. They can't hit the broad side of a barn. It's amazing Wade could get assists and points.
Francis is having the worst year of his career as well - what do he and Butler have in common? Does Brian Grant not count as 'size'? I mean someone sure thought he was size when they signed him to about a hundred mil a few years ago.
Do you understand that players age and that some GM's are morons? Butler's had a serious injury. Wait a year and come back...actually wait two years. In the long run, I think Butler will turn out better than Wade if he stays healthy. The Heat have no one. Look at their roster, it's horrible. I challenge you all to name their starting five without looking it up.
i woulndt say they are horrible. they have 3 really good young players. once there bad contracts run out they will have cap space to sign a few good roll players. and the draft pick this year they will be able to get a good forward or center. i think this should be all right in a couple of years.
Odom does play PF. Hey, it's the LEastern Conference. That's why Grant can play the center spot. But, crapin crap...in my head-to-head fantasy league, I remember one week I was facing a team that had Odom, and he was only supposed to get 27 rebounds MAX that week. The dude blows up for like 17, 14, and 16 or something like that and ends up with 47 rebounds for the week. Crazy ass shiznit. What the hell is going on with Lamar Odom and his rebounding this year? That's a bigger mystery than Butler, who has been injured, and is on a roster full of players in his position.
I was upset when the Rockets picked Yao instead of Butler. It just goes to show---I don't know what I am talking about.
you know what? aside from the 0-10 start or whatever, they are playing 500 ball quietly, anything is possible in the east. they're only one game back from the 8th seed in the playoffs.
