It didn't take long for Jimmy Butler to find his true, disruptive self in Philadelphia.
The shooting guard joined the team via a trade less than two months ago, following a turbulent period in Minnesota. And, having seemed a breath of fresh air when he arrived, he's back to being the feisty star we know him to be.
The player was reported to have challenged Sixers head coach Brett Brown "aggressively" last week, telling the coach he wants to be involved in more pick and rolls. Persons who witnessed the incident claim that the 29-year-old was disrespectful, yet Brown has denied such, insisting Butler never crossed the line.
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"I didn't feel like any of that crossed the line," he said on Saturday. "He's vocal. He's all in and he has opinions, but it's instigated by me. None of this should surprise anybody. He's got opinions. He wants to be heard. And he should be heard."
Butler defended his actions in front of reporters on Monday, claiming that no part of his discourse with coach Brown was confrontational.
"I don't think any part of it was confrontational," he told reporters. "We're in here, talking, trying to win games, making sure everybody's happy. Confrontation? That's not the word I would use."
While Brown might deal with his players harshly in private, he has never criticized them in public and has always spoken of them positively, no matter the situation.
One can well imagine that such could have been the case with this new Butler issue. And according to Bleacher Report, there is interest from other teams in the wake of last week's report.
The Sixers have reportedly received a call from another organization regarding Butler's potential ability but did not entertain it. The report also claims that Philly has never considered dealing Butler away and want him for the long haul.
What This Means
Butler's recent outburst could leave the 76ers sweating over his future. The player is set to become a free agent next summer and it was always thought that he would re-sign without issue. However, this latest incident could possibly change things.
They could lose him for nothing if he decides to take off after his contract runs out at the end of the season. Yet they still aren't willing to entertain any trade offers at the moment in spite of the risk.