Sixers

Jimmy Butler Says His Sixers Teammates Didn’t Work as Hard as Him

By Russ Joy

Published: Nov 27th, 2019 · 12:27 PM EST

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SHOCKER! Jimmy Butler threw some former teammates under the bus. Sort of. Butler sat down with Vince Goodwill of Yahoo Sports and he had some interesting things to say about his time in Philadelphia, including his teammates’ work ethic and how much it hurt to lose to Toronto (starting at 4:22):

"I'm happy, man. Let me be happy."@VinceGoodwill sat down with @JimmyButler to discuss:

▪️ His decision NOT to join forces with other superstars
▪️ Why he chose the Miami Heat
▪️ Carrying on D. Wade's legacy
▪️ His time with the Sixers

And much more 🍿 pic.twitter.com/QFeDYZATz7

— Ball Don’t Lie (@Balldontlie) November 27, 2019

On His Former Teammates’ Work Ethic

Goodwill: You mentioned [all of your Heat teammates] works. You going to the gym at 4 in the morning, and you work and you respect work. Did you feel that everybody in Philadelphia was working as hard as you were to recognize the opportunity that was in front of you guys last spring?

Butler: No. But everybody don’t do that. Everybody don’t work like that. That’s just what it is. And I’ve learned that over the years. Is there something wrong with it? No, there’s not.

Goodwill: Yes it is.

Butler: No there’s not.

Goodwill: If you’re supposed to be chasing the championship, everybody should be pulling in that same direction. Everybody should be as dedicated, right?

Butler: Yeah, but is everybody playing this game for a championship?

Goodwill: What are they playing for?

Butler: I don’t know. The money, the houses, the cars, the fame? There are so many other things that people can play this game for.

Goodwill: Even in the playoffs, you’re not playing for that common goal?

Butler: You could just be on a talented team and you end up in the playoffs. That does not mean that you’re in it to win a championship.

On the Disappointment of Losing to Toronto

Goodwill: That last playoff series, was that as heartbreaking for you as it seemed to be for the franchise, as it seemed to be for people on the outside?

Butler: Yeah, man, because when you’re that close… In order to win a championship, the stars have to align. Everything has to work out the right way: if you’re healthy, if you’re making shots… So many things go into winning a championship, man. And to know you’re that close, it hurts. What if [Kawhi Leonard] would have missed that last shot? There are so many “what ifs” that can happen. It’ll be like that for the rest of our lives. We’ll talk about that, because we were that close. It hurts.

So, there you have it. Maybe it’s a slightly more mature James Butler. One who doesn’t call out teammates by name like he did in Minnesota. It does weigh on your mind, though. What if Kawhi had missed? We’ll never know.