BUTLER CLAIMS HE HAD NO ROLE IN DEPARTURES
Says he played no role in Rose, Noah exits
Jimmy Butler isn’t blinking.
Whether it’s in the face of his own front office talking about trading him last month or the perception that he turned diva in helping escort Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah out of town. Not a blink. “That has nothing to do with me,’’ Butler said Thursday. “I don’t move guys. Just like I always say — people are going to think what they want to think.
“I know who I am. That’s one more thing for someone to talk about. But that’s OK. I don’t really think too much [about it].’’
And he didn’t think too much about draft night in June, when the Bulls were in heated discussions to land highly coveted guard Kris Dunn, reportedly using Butler as bait.
“It’s not their job to report anything to me,’’ Butler said of general manager Gar Forman and vice president of basketball operations John Paxson. “I’m a big boy. I don’t need you to tell me, ‘No, you’re not going to be traded.’ I know it’s a business, and if it happens, it happens, but I’m here.
“I don’t pay attention to it. I was in the gym working out during the draft. My phone was blowing up, but what can I do? I can go in the office and be like, ‘Hey, please don’t trade me’? If they were going to do that, that’s on them, not me.’’
Besides, Butler has enough on his plate these days.
Playing for the U.S. Olympic team, which is set to take off for Rio de Janeiro, is priority No. 1 for Butler. The team started practicing last week in Las Vegas, and its exhibition tour hit Chicago on Wednesday afternoon. A game against Venezuela is scheduled for Friday at the United Center.
Butler, who’s expected to start that game because coach Mike Krzyzewski has been starting hometown players in front of their home crowds on this exhibition tour, already was looking forward to chasing a gold medal.
“Some winners,’’ Butler said of his U.S. teammates. “Some gold-medal-chasing guys that have fun, joking around a lot. The group that we have right now is unreal. Some guys that goof around a lot but damn sure want to win when we step between these lines.’’
As far as the other baggage that has been attached to Butler, he seems like he already has distanced him- self from it.
Butler said he has spoken with Rose and exchanged a few text messages with Noah since the Bulls underwent their facelift, but he was more focused on moving forward.
“I’m happy for [Rose]; he’s happy for me,’’ Butler said. “I’m glad we get to go against each other whatever day that may be when the season rolls around.
“I talked to Jo. We texted a few messages. Nothing too serious, but we’re always going to have love for each other because we’re always going to be teammates. We were in those trenches together.’’
NOTE: The Bulls released their preseason schedule Wednesday and will open play Oct. 3, hosting the Bucks. They’ll play seven games and also will host the Pacers, Cavaliers and Hornets.
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