Well, let's be clear: Butler is a very, very good player. He lives at the line and he's improved greatly so far, but the idea that he puts us over the top is ridiculous. He's almost 27, meaning he's not likely to improve much more. He's not over the hill or anything, but what you see is what you get, until he starts declining. His stats, while impressive (20-5-4-2 with a 2:1 assist/turnover ratio), are ballooned by his 3rd-in-the-NBA minutes per game average. Once upon a time 37 mpg wasn't out of the ordinary for a premier player, but in an era when all the top guys are getting it done in 30-35 minutes, it's noticeable and relevant.
People are also calling him an "elite two-way player," and it's not entirely accurate. He's not the same defender he was two seasons ago, and understandably so, as he has to carry the offense now. But don't tell me we're getting a top-3 two-way guy. I think a lot of people are imagining we'd be getting Kawhi Leonard, when that's not even remotely the case. His DRPM has decreased to almost pedestrian levels (120th in the league) and his standing among shooting guards is more indicative of the position than his own status. Calling him a top-15 player is a stretch.
It also looks like his three-point range was a bit of a mirage. He'd get better looks in our offense, sure, but he's increased the percentage of shots he takes from 16-23 feet each of the last three seasons. He's a 2-guard, meaning he or someone else would be playing out of position, which isn't the worst thing in today's NBA, but it's not ideal. He's become increasingly ball-reliant and, as we've seen in Houston, it's never easy trying to get two ball-dominating guards to gel. You can bring IT back off the bench, yeah, but they're going to have to play together eventually. Either way, what's the point of adding another premier player if he can't play with the one we already have.
All of this is to say that I'd love, love to get Jimmy Butler in green, but I'm not in a rush to give up Smart and Bradley and multiple Brooklyn picks for him.