Jimmy Butler was on JJ Redick’s podcast to clear the air about some things that happened in Minnesota including the infamous 3rd stringer practice.
According to Butler the T-Wolves knew he wanted to be traded all summer, but made it seem like he just dropped a bombshell on them.
Here is what he had to say about the practice and why it got heated.
It’s not really heated [with Wolves management]. We’re literally just talking, and then somebody says: “You’re gonna practice.” Now, first of all, I have a for-real problem with authority. When somebody’s telling me what to do as a grown man, I have a problem with it. So now you done lit the match, but ain’t nothin’ on fire yet. You just lit the match.
I was like: “First of all, you’re not going to tell me what I’m gonna do. If I choose to practice, I’ll choose to practice.” And I’m like: “Nah, I don’t know just yet.” And then he was like: “No, you’re gonna practice.” Now you’re getting that fire a little too close to me, so I’m like: “Let me tell you something, if I’m going to practice, I’ll come off the bench, like I’ll play with this second group if I want to as long as I’m out there in practice.” Boom.
This person goes: “No, you’re gonna play with the starters.” There you go. You did got me now. No I’m not. I’m gonna play with the third-stringers, now what? I’m telling them I don’t think it’s a good idea to do it, because I know whenever I go in there, I’m trying to basically just prove a point.
One final note on this, Butler says Blake Griffin can’t score on him, but did give Kemba Walker props.
Flip the page for the full interview.