Jimmy Butler of the Golden State Warriors had the best years of his career with the Miami Heat from 2019 to 2025.
Butler led the Heat to two NBA Finals appearances in 2020 against the Los Angeles Lakers and in 2023 against the Denver Nuggets.
His final season in South Beach was tumultuous, which ended after he was dealt to the Warriors at the 2025 trade deadline.
Former Miami Heat Teammate on Playing With Jimmy Butler
GettyJimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat celebrates a three pointer with Max Strus #31 against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at FTX Arena on May 10, 2022 in Miami, Florida.
In an appearance on Pardon My Take, former Miami Heat swingman Max Strus opened up about being teammates with Jimmy Butler and made a surprising revelation.
Strus played with Butler for three seasons before leaving Miami in 2023 to sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“He’s also like an a**hole towards you,” Strus said. “One day you’ll look at him, and he won’t even, like, acknowledge you. You could go to dinner with him the night before, and you’re his best friend. Then the next morning you go to practice, and he won’t even look at you or say hi to you.
“It’s like ‘Damn, what did I do at dinner last night?’ Then the game starts, and he’s your best friend again.”
“He’s also like an asshole towards you. One day you’ll look at him and he won’t even like, acknowledge you. You could go to dinner with him the night before and you’re his best friend then the next
Strus, who was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers after his appearance on the podcast, acknowledged that Butler was always going to be like that. It reached a point that he doesn’t care about it anymore, though their relationship was built with respect and had fun together.
“You gotta play the cards like, ‘Ah, Jimmy is gonna be Jimmy.’ I just got to a point I didn’t give a f**k anymore,” Stuss added.
The former teammates even have a hilarious handshake where they flip off each other.
Jimmy Butler’s Miami Heat Tenure
The Miami Heat signed Jimmy Butler via sign-and-trade with the Philadelphia 76ers in the summer of 2019. Butler immediately fit in with the famed “Heat Culture” under team president Pat Riley and coach Erik Spoelstra.
In his first season in Miami, Butler led the Heat to the NBA Finals inside the bubble. They came up short against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in six games.
Butler had his best year in Miami in 2023, averaging 22.9 points per game. He helped the Heat reach another NBA Finals, this time as the No. 8 seed, against the Denver Nuggets. It was a valiant effort by the Heat, but they came up short in five games.
Butler’s relationship with the franchise deteriorated after he was called out by Riley for talking a lot after their first-round loss to the Boston Celtics in 2024. He missed the postseason due to a knee injury.
With the Heat unlikely to offer him an extension, the relationship fell apart to a point that the franchise suspended Butler for “conduct detrimental to the team.” His wish to get traded was granted after the Golden State Warriors acquired him last year and gave him a two-year, $121 million extension.
Ex-Miami Heat Swingman Makes Shocking Jimmy Butler Statement