Jimmy Butler just signed a big contract extension, ensuring that he will be a Chicago Bull for at least the next 4 years. He’s gonna be around for a while, so he should probably figure out how to get along with his teammates, particularly the one that he shares the backcourt with, former MVP Derrick Rose.
There have been reports of tension between the two star guards for quite some time, although Jimmy Butler has refuted those claims in the past. The supposed “rift” between the two may have been exaggerated, but the two certainly don’t seem to be very close.
Jimmy Butler talked about his relationship with Rose on “The Waddle and Silvy Show,” transcribed by ESPN.
From ESPN’s Nick Friedell:
“I think we can,” Butler said Wednesday on “The Waddle and Silvy Show” on ESPN 1000, when asked about his chemistry with Rose. “I think we will. And I think we better, because the way I look at it, I don’t think either one of us is going anywhere anytime soon…
“We didn’t win,” Butler said. “That’s it. When you don’t win, somebody’s got to find something to blame it on.”
Butler remains convinced that as soon as the Bulls start winning again next season, all of the talk about his relationship with Rose will fade away.
“Whenever we win, all of this is going right out the window,” Butler said. “Whenever we start winning at the beginning of the season when we’re going through everything, it’s not an issue.”
Butler and Rose(along with the rest of their team) have a chance at a fresh start this season, as former Iowa State head coach Fred Hoiberg is stepping in to replace Tom Thibodeau as Chicago head coach. Hoiberg’s coaching plans are going to be vastly different from those of Thibs, and Rose and Butler will need to make sure that their chemistry is first-rate if they hope to compete for a championship.
