Former Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau was famous for constantly reminding his players to “block out the noise’’ when it came to outside opinions.
And while Thibodeau is long gone, that noise is still persistent this preseason – loud and clear for those that choose to listen for it.
Nationally, most have the Bulls as an afterthought in the Eastern Conference playoff race. A team headed right back to a late lottery pick. Locally, there’s just as much pessimism.
Can’t shoot from the outside, Dwyane Wade’s homecoming is five years too late, not enough bench.
Pick a criticism.
And then Jimmy Butler will tell you to quiet that noise.
“I think I know how it’s going to play out,’’ Butler said, as the Bulls are set to tip off their season against Boston at the United Center Thursday night. “I think everybody overlooks us anyway. All we can do is overachieve. I know the group of guys we got. I know how we’ve been working and preparing. So I know how I think it’s going to do.’’
Details of that “do?’’
Butler wasn’t offering that up. Let’s call it his little secret for now.
What the two-time All-Star was vocal about was the idea of prognosticators – in his opinion – underselling what this latest version of the Bulls team can be.
“No, I don’t pay attention to it,’’ Butler said. “But I hear what people say. And people may come up and say to me, ‘Yo, y’all going to win X amount of games.’ I understand everybody’s entitled to their opinion. I think the first amendment says that. That doesn’t mean I have to take any of their nonsense.
“I don’t care to tell you the truth. Their opinion isn’t going to put no food on my table, no way. It isn’t putting any clothes on my back. So I’ll be completely content with the group of guys that are out there with me that are actually helping put food on my table and clothes on my back.’’
Then again, it is a group that should be playing with very little pressure.
When the Bulls underachieved in the opinion of the front office two years ago, it was Thibodeau’s fault. They fired him and moved on. Last season when they didn’t even make the playoffs, well, it was on the roster. Gone are Pau Gasol, Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Mike Dunleavy, Aaron Brooks, and now Tony Snell with the trade they made with Milwaukee last week in adding Michael Carter-Williams.
If the 2016-17 campaign ends poorly it would seem that the finger pointing at the front office is eventually going to have to turn towards a mirror.
At least in most organizations it would.
So for Butler, Wade and Rajon Rondo this year is about coming together as the projected three “Alpha Males’’ and playing free and easy. That should make life simpler for the likes of Robin Lopez, Taj Gibson, Doug McDermott and Nikola Mirotic.
At least that’s how Butler sees it.
“I don’t think it motivates us to do anything,’’ Butler added of the outside projections of his team. “They’re going to say and do whatever they want to do and say anyways, so motivation? Nah. Motivation is we get to go out and compete and put on for this organization every day.’’
