Jimmy Butler declined a $40 million contract extension from the Chicago Bulls in 2014 to become a restricted free agent, betting on himself to improve his performance and increase his earnings. His performance in the 2014-15 season made him one of the NBA's best two-way players, and in the 2015 playoffs he helped the Bulls win their first two games. As a fourth-year player now eligible for a max contract, Butler stands to earn as much as $96 million over five seasons with the Bulls after cementing his status as a star.

1. By Yosef Meystel

2.  In October 2014, Chicago Bulls wing player
Jimmy Butler declined a contract extension from
his team in hopes of increasing his earnings
prospects as a restricted free agent at the end of
the season. Turning down the four-year, $40
million extension represented a significant bet on
his own future performance, as his previous
season saw multiple injuries and low field goal
percentages.
Butler’s risk now seems likely to pay off, as his
performance in the 2014-15 season has
cemented his position as one of the NBA’s best
two-way players.

3.  Coming off a season that included his first All-
Star appearance, Jimmy Butler solidified his star
status with an impressive start to the 2015
postseason. He helped his team secure wins in
the first two games of its series against the
Milwaukee Bucks, following up a 25-point first-
game performance with a postseason career high
of 31 points in the second game of the series.
The latter game included a 14-point fourth-
quarter performance, which helped his team pull
away to secure a 91-82 late-game win against
the Bucks.

4.  Now a fourth-year player, Jimmy Butler is
eligible for a maximum contract valued at 25
percent of the NBA’s salary cap. Remaining
with the Bulls also introduces the possibility
of a five-year contract with a 7.5 percent
raise each season. With the salary cap for the
2015-16 season expected to be $67 million,
Butler now stands to earn as much as $96
million over five seasons after his most
impressive year to date.