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Boston Celtics: Top 10 “Could Have Been’s” Since 1996

By Jamie Gallagher

Jun 25, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; General view of the stage before the start of the 2015 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 25, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; General view of the stage before the start of the 2015 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports /

Number 7: Jimmy Butler

Career Averages: 13.6 Points/1.4 Steals/4.5 Rebounds

Awards: NBA Most Improved Player 2014-15/2x NBA All Star/2x NBA All-Defensive Second Team

After less than stellar years in his rookie and sophomore seasons, Chicago Bulls swing-man Jimmy Butler has established himself as one of the premiere players in the NBA.

In the 2011 NBA Draft, Butler was taken with the last pick in the 1st round (30th overall) by the Bulls. If this draft class were to be redrafted, Butler would certainly be a top 5 pick along with Kyrie Irving (1st overall), Klay Thompson (11th overall), and Kawai Leonard (15th overall).

The Celtics originally held the 25th pick in the draft, but swapped picks with the Brooklyn Nets to move down two spots to select JaJuan Johnson from Purdue. Brooklyn selected MarShon Brooks with pick number 25.

Neither Johnson nor Brooks have had any success in the league since being drafted. Johnson found himself in the D-league after playing in just 36 games for the Boston Celtics in 2011-12, and Brooks was primarily a bench warmer during his first 5 seasons in the league before he too was sent down to the D-league.

Butler on the other hand, is now an All Star and has averaged over 20 Points Per Game in each of his last two seasons. The man can do it all. He can score, he can defend with the best of them, and he has developed into a solid rebounder at the position.

While it did take Butler a year or two to develop into the player he is now, there is no question that the Celtics would love to have a guy like Jimmy Butler on the roster. He would have fit perfectly into Brad Stevens’ system.

Butler has been linked to the Celtics in trade rumors for the last season or so, so who knows – maybe we’ll get to see the rising star in a Celtics uniform someday.

Next: More From the Disaster That Was the 2001 Draft

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