Jimmy Butler isn’t concerned with how he’s perceived as he prepares for his first game against the Miami Heat since being traded.
“I’m always painted as the bad guy. Everywhere I’ve been, I’ve always been the problem,” Butler said, via Miami Herald. “So we’ll take it. I don’t got nothing to say. I’m not mad at being the bad guy.”
Butler spent over five seasons in Miami, leading the team to two NBA Finals appearances. However, tensions between him and the organization escalated this season, resulting in multiple suspensions before his eventual trade to the Golden State Warriors on February 6.
Since arriving in Golden State, Butler has made an immediate impact. The Warriors are 16-3 with him in the lineup, and he is averaging 17.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game. The team has surged to sixth place in the Western Conference with a 41-30 record.
Meanwhile, Miami has struggled without its former leader. The Heat (30-41) endured a 10-game losing streak before finally snapping it with a win over Charlotte. They are barely holding onto the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference.
Butler remains unfazed by the storyline surrounding his return. “It’s all the way that everything is portrayed. Some people talk to the media, some people don’t,” he said. “I’ve never been one to tell my side of the story.”
The highly anticipated matchup between the Warriors and Heat tips off Tuesday night, with Butler back in the city where he once thrived.
