Jimmy Butler and Derrick Rose took some time Thursday morning to text each other about Fred Hoiberg’s offense.
“He told me to make sure to take the 3-pointer if it’s open because he knows I sometimes still hesitate,” Butler said.
However, Butler didn’t waver at all when addressing the ongoing perception that his ascension has created a feud or resentment between him and Rose.
“I don’t understand why everybody wants to find a problem with me and Derrick,” Butler said. “Let us be the fierce (expletive) competitors that we are (and) just let us play together. There’s nothing going on.”
Ever since the funky ending to last season’s playoffs, in which a passive Rose took four second-half shots in the final game against the Cavaliers, the storyline has lingered. Butler has spoken about it several times, including during a lengthy sit-down in August at the USA Basketball minicamp.
He did so again Thursday in perhaps his strongest fashion, the words coming in a torrent.
“I’ll try to keep my cuss words to a minimum, but it’s making me mad,” Butler said. “I love having Derrick as a teammate. I think we can be one of the best — if not the best — backcourts in the NBA.”
There’s no question Butler’s unexpected offensive jump, and insatiable desire for more, has forced adjustments. In a rare interview last summer, Happy Walters, Butler’s agent, cited Rose’s need to learn how to play with this All-Star version of Butler.
Placing Butler in more pick-and-roll situations, as Hoiberg may do, would further underscore this need.
But the Bulls went 28-17 last season with the guards playing together. Both averaged 20-plus points in the playoffs, so far more good than bad has occurred.
“Derrick and I are two great players who play well together,” Butler said. “We do have to adjust a bit to each other’s game because we haven’t played a lot together. But we will continue to get better as we play more games and get the feel for this new offense.”
Butler also has emphatically expressed his intention to become a more vocal leader, even mentioning a shortage in that department despite the presence of Joakim Noah and Pau Gasol.
“I’m not taking a shot at anybody,” Butler said. “If you ask Jo, he will tell you, ‘Jimmy needs to lead more.’ If you ask Pau, he’d say, ‘Jimmy needs to lead more.’ It’s not just me saying it; it’s everybody on this roster, (including) the coaches. I have to man up because I’ve been here longer than a lot of guys now. There have to be some leader aspects coming out of that sooner or later.
“Everybody wants to talk about how this is my team, (but) that’s not the case. I’ve said it multiple times: I don’t care whose team it is. My job is just to help (us) win — when we win, everybody looks great. Everybody gets a ring.”
