Jimmy Butler goes in on Brett Brown on JJ Redick podcast
Ex-76er Jimmy Butler has come clean on what went wrong in Philly last season including some spicy comments about Ben Simmons.
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Jimmy Butler said he didn’t agree with being handed the keys to the 76ers offence during last year’s playoffs in an explosive interview about his time in Philadelphia.
After Ben Simmons handled playmaking duties all season, Butler was made the primary ball-handler in the postseason which he felt was unfair to the Australian point guard.
“Til this day, I don’t think that was fair to switch over like that,” Butler told fellow former 76ers JJ Redick on his podcast.
“Even though we were playing great basketball, I don’t think it was fair, because the entire year Ben (Simmons) had the ball. So you mean to tell me that in one playoff series you just switch it up like that?”
Butler, who is now at his fourth NBA team in Miami, took aim at the leadership in Philly without naming names.
“Hell yeah it was difficult. It was so different,” Butler said. “On any given day, me as a person, as a player, I didn’t know who the f*** was in charge. I think that was my biggest thing.
“I didn’t know what the f*** to expect whenever I would go into the gym, whenever I go onto the plane, whenever I go into the game,” Butler said. “I was like, man. I think I was as lost as the next motherf*****.”
When did @JimmyButler decide he was leaving the Sixers? 👀 #JJRedickPod
— The Ringer (@ringer) March 11, 2020
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Butler was a free agent at the end of last season and opted to join the Heat. The 76ers signed Tobias Harris to a long-term extension and paid a heavy price for ex-Celtics big Al Horford.
He said he knew he couldn’t return to Philadelphia when he heard coach Brett Brown was asked if he could control him.
“For one, I ain’t out there doing no bulls***,” Butler said. “But the fact, that you are trying to control a grown man. Nah, I’m cool, because I don’t do nothing that is drastically f***ing stupidly crazy. I don’t know that. So sit here and come at me with you got to control him. We good.”
Butler’s Heat are fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 41-23 record, ahead of the sixth-placed 76ers (38-26).
Simmons is currently sidelined with a back injury. The 76ers announced Thursday he would be re-evaluated in three weeks.
Originally published as Jimmy Butler goes in on Brett Brown on JJ Redick podcast