Jimmy Butler, widely regarded as one of the greatest players in Miami Heat history, saw his tenure with the franchise come to a sour end—similar to his exits from previous teams.
Making his desire to leave public, Butler was suspended three times in quick succession before the Heat ultimately traded him to the Golden State Warriors.
Now with the Warriors, things appear to be going well for Butler. The team has a 3-1 record with him in the lineup and looks like a legitimate Championship contender once again. His arrival has seemingly elevated Steph Curry’s performance as well, with the two forming an effective partnership.
Tim Hardaway, a revered figure for both the Heat and the Warriors, has made it clear in recent comments that he does not approve of Butler’s approach to the game.
Hardaway accused Butler of sitting out games unnecessarily, despite not being injured.
According to HoopsHype, Hardaway stated on Gil’s Arena: “The only thing he wanted you to do was play more games. That’s all he wanted you to do—play more games. I don’t want to be in the play-in games anymore. I want to be in the playoffs, have a week off, prepare, and be ready for our opponent. We’ll be fresh. Jimmy didn’t want to do that. Jimmy wanted to keep doing what he always did—taking games off. He wasn’t hurt. He was just taking games off.”
Throughout his career, Butler has struggled with availability, not just in Miami. Since leaving the Chicago Bulls, he has never played more than 65 games in a regular season.
While things seem to be going smoothly for Butler in Golden State, his history suggests uncertainty may not be far behind. However, this could also be his final opportunity to secure a Championship, and with Curry’s experience—having won four titles—Butler simply needs to provide the necessary support to push the Warriors toward a fifth ring.
