Miami Heat fans used to cherish Jimmy Butler and loved to see him every time he was on the court.
That definitely isn’t true now and he’s one of the biggest enemies the team has.
But Butler is comfortable with how he is viewed by the Heat and, based on a new statement, doesn’t seem bothered by their perception of him.
“They know what they’re doing. You got to paint somebody to be the bad guy. I’ll take being a bad guy. Makes no difference. I’m here now. I’m competing at a high level and I’m helping the Golden State Warriors win. They want me here. Hell, I’m cool with being a bad guy over there,” Butler said, per NBACentral.
Jimmy Butler says he doesn’t mind being the ‘bad guy over there’
“You can’t control grown men in this line of work. You can try, but I’m going to do what I want to do. I’m going to show up. I’m going to compete and I’m going to help us win.
So you can be mad. You can paint a… pic.twitter.com/r1778F8wDK— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 24, 2025
Throughout the breakdown of his relationship with the Heat, there were numerous stories about how he was treating the team and how much he wanted to leave.
None of those sat right with fans and a sour view of him began to grow.
By the time he left the Heat, a lot of people who love the team wanted nothing to do with Butler.
There were also many analysts and writers saying that he had done irreparable damage to his image and future.
But since coming to the Golden State Warriors, Butler has looked far more engaged and much happier on the court.
He said he had lost his joy while playing for the Heat, but it seems to be back now.
Still, the Heat will not forget what Butler did and he is sure to hear a lot of loud boos every time he competes against them.
But that won’t get under Butler’s skin, and he will continue to be happy about where he is now.
The post Jimmy Butler Gets Honest About His Reputation In Miami appeared first on The Cold Wire.