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Jimmy Butler Full Introductory Press Conference With the Golden State Warriors · Bleacher Report

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Yeah, obviously we got some news here to announce. I
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: think I'll start by thanking the guys that we've traded, Dennis, Lindy, Kyle,
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: and most especially Wiggs, who is a big part of
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: this organization and gave us a tremendous amount over his
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: career at the Warriors, including the championship. So we thank
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: those guys. This is never an easy time of year
• 0:22
  Speaker 1: when you have to do some of this stuff and
• 0:24
  Speaker 1: make some of these moves, but you know, we're in
• 0:26
  Speaker 1: the business.
• 0:27
  Speaker 2: Of winning, and.
• 0:29
  Speaker 1: We made an acquisition of a guy sitting next to
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: me who's one of the best in the league and
• 0:34
  Speaker 1: a lead two way player, and we are thrilled to.
• 0:37
  Speaker 2: Have him into the fold.
• 0:38
  Speaker 1: And you know, I think this is the type of
• 0:41
  Speaker 1: thing where we got to hit the ground running right away,
• 0:44
  Speaker 1: not a not a lot of.
• 0:45
  Speaker 2: Room for air.
• 0:47
  Speaker 1: We were sitting here at five hundred with thirty two
• 0:49
  Speaker 1: games ago, so it's it's time to get winning and we're.
• 0:53
  Speaker 2: Really excited about it.
• 0:54
  Speaker 1: So I guess, without further ado, I'll welcome my former
• 0:59
  Speaker 1: teammate Chicago Bulls now a Golden State Warrior, Jimmy Butler.
• 1:05
  Speaker 2: Thank you, thank you, uh for myself. I'm just I'm
• 1:07
  Speaker 2: so happy to be playing basketball again. Honestly before an
• 1:12
  Speaker 2: organization like this one with some HELLI Fi talent that
• 1:15
  Speaker 2: we have. I'm glad that I get the opportunity to
• 1:18
  Speaker 2: get here and help get us to winning and do
• 1:21
  Speaker 2: something special. I think that's why I'm here, and now
• 1:24
  Speaker 2: I do my best to do what everybody wants, and
• 1:27
  Speaker 2: that's to win a championship. I mean it.
• 1:31
  Speaker 3: Questions Jimmy, the sense out there during a lot of
• 1:35
  Speaker 3: this process that was that you were maybe trying to
• 1:36
  Speaker 3: direct yourself to Phoenix.
• 1:38
  Speaker 2: Obviously, now you're with the Warriors.
• 1:39
  Speaker 3: I guess is this kind of a second choice or how.
• 1:43
  Speaker 2: Do you view this, this partnership with the work this is,
• 1:46
  Speaker 2: this is a great choice. And the best part about
• 1:47
  Speaker 2: everything is I never say anything, so nobody actually really
• 1:51
  Speaker 2: knows what's really going on because it never comes from
• 1:53
  Speaker 2: my mouth. So out of everything that's been going on,
• 1:58
  Speaker 2: I'm happy to be here. I'm happy to be able
• 2:00
  Speaker 2: to play basketball again, meaningful basketball at that. Uh So
• 2:04
  Speaker 2: I I always leave it at that. I'm able to
• 2:06
  Speaker 2: go and do out, uh go, able to go out
• 2:09
  Speaker 2: and do what I love, and I'm happy for us
• 2:11
  Speaker 2: that is for a organization like Golden State.
• 2:14
  Speaker 4: Jimmy, what what about playing with Steph and with Draymond?
• 2:17
  Speaker 2: Appeals to you that they always play winning basketball and
• 2:21
  Speaker 2: they'll do whatever it takes to win. I think that's
• 2:23
  Speaker 2: what I respect most about those guys. And they've won
• 2:26
  Speaker 2: at so many different levels, obviously at the highest level
• 2:30
  Speaker 2: and done it multiple times. So not only can I
• 2:34
  Speaker 2: bring some things to this team, I think they can
• 2:37
  Speaker 2: teach me a whole lot.
• 2:38
  Speaker 1: As competed against the the Warriors for years, and knowing
• 2:42
  Speaker 1: your own personality, how do you foresee your personality type
• 2:46
  Speaker 1: fitting with with the guys that.
• 2:47
  Speaker 2: Have been here? Hell I fit I'm I think I'm
• 2:49
  Speaker 2: gonna fit right in. Uh, it's all about winning, So
• 2:53
  Speaker 2: whatever happens happens. But at the end of the day,
• 2:56
  Speaker 2: if it's for the right reasoning and it's to get
• 2:59
  Speaker 2: a WN and column, what else really matters.
• 3:02
  Speaker 5: Jimmy, where are you at mentally right now? What has
• 3:05
  Speaker 5: this time been like and how did you help yourself
• 3:10
  Speaker 5: get through the roughest of the days during this absence.
• 3:14
  Speaker 2: I'm at a really good place mentally. This many many
• 3:18
  Speaker 2: break that I didn't want but had during the year.
• 3:23
  Speaker 2: I got to spend more time with my kids, more
• 3:24
  Speaker 2: times with my loved ones, and to reflect on a lot.
• 3:28
  Speaker 2: But I'm in shape. I'm ready to go. I've been training,
• 3:31
  Speaker 2: I've been running up and down, laughing, smiling and having fun.
• 3:36
  Speaker 2: But now I get to do one of the things
• 3:38
  Speaker 2: that I love more than anything, and that's to compete.
• 3:40
  Speaker 2: You expect Saturday, I would think so. I hope so
• 3:44
  Speaker 2: we got it as a Bosston hope. I'm ready. Yeah,
• 3:48
  Speaker 2: Saturday it is.
• 3:50
  Speaker 6: Jimmy Tremont had said the reason why he thinks this
• 3:53
  Speaker 6: is gonna fit is because you're a winner.
• 3:55
  Speaker 2: They're a winner.
• 3:56
  Speaker 6: I think he even said, you're a certified e fing winner.
• 4:00
  Speaker 6: How do you think your personality and the way you
• 4:03
  Speaker 6: play is gonna mesh with Draymond? And also how do
• 4:06
  Speaker 6: you feel about playing with a shooter like Stephan And
• 4:09
  Speaker 6: I don't know if you've ever had one like that.
• 4:10
  Speaker 2: I like that. I think our personalities are gonna be fine.
• 4:15
  Speaker 2: I would like to say that I am a winner.
• 4:17
  Speaker 2: I haven't won it, but I would like to call
• 4:19
  Speaker 2: myself a winner. I do want to win it, it
• 4:22
  Speaker 2: being a championship. And as far as playing with Steph,
• 4:25
  Speaker 2: I mean everybody knows he's the greatest shooter in the world,
• 4:29
  Speaker 2: greatest shooter in history. Makes my job a lot easier.
• 4:33
  Speaker 2: I probably got a lot more space out there, But
• 4:36
  Speaker 2: more than anything, I think it's always gonna be a
• 4:39
  Speaker 2: team effort. We all got a lot more space out there.
• 4:41
  Speaker 2: So let's see how it goes.
• 4:44
  Speaker 6: Jimmy, we have I'm back here, back here, I'm real short,
• 4:47
  Speaker 6: way short. How are you.
• 4:50
  Speaker 2: We haven't heard from you since obviously the last game
• 4:52
  Speaker 2: in Miami. What do you How do you.
• 4:53
  Speaker 5: Reflect now that this is all over?
• 4:55
  Speaker 4: How do you reflect on your time with the Heat
• 4:57
  Speaker 4: Just you know, the went to two different finals.
• 4:59
  Speaker 2: The conference, but then also obviously the way things ended. Uh,
• 5:03
  Speaker 2: I'm straight. Uh, I don't. I don't got too many
• 5:05
  Speaker 2: bad things to say about that. I don't. They gave
• 5:07
  Speaker 2: me opportunity. I felt like I did my job to
• 5:10
  Speaker 2: the highest level. I have so much respect for that organization,
• 5:13
  Speaker 2: for the people that's running that organization, and for my
• 5:15
  Speaker 2: former teammates, and i'm'a always with them the best. When
• 5:19
  Speaker 2: March comes around, we need that like we need everything else.
• 5:22
  Speaker 2: Before y'all even ask we we take debs. They can
• 5:24
  Speaker 2: uh get around here. But I got a lot of
• 5:27
  Speaker 2: love for a lot of people over there in that organization,
• 5:29
  Speaker 2: and I just want them to know that I'm very
• 5:31
  Speaker 2: grateful for the relationships that I have built and that
• 5:34
  Speaker 2: while I keep for a lifetime. So w what was
• 5:37
  Speaker 2: it that made you wanna leave? Then? Uh, that's a
• 5:40
  Speaker 2: good question. Actually, that is a good question. I don't know.
• 5:44
  Speaker 2: Maybe just uh, a lot of talking back and forth,
• 5:47
  Speaker 2: and sooner or later, talking's gotta stop.
• 5:51
  Speaker 5: Jimmy, have you heard much about the Warriors organization and
• 5:55
  Speaker 5: how they treat players and and what have you learned
• 5:57
  Speaker 5: about what you're stepping into.
• 5:59
  Speaker 2: Uh? I haven't heard too much. I know that they're
• 6:02
  Speaker 2: all about winning, though, which is all that matters. I
• 6:06
  Speaker 2: know they're gonna do whatever it takes for their players
• 6:08
  Speaker 2: to be comfortable, because when you got happy players, those
• 6:12
  Speaker 2: players are gonna go above and be on to make
• 6:14
  Speaker 2: sure that you're happy and that they're gonna win. So
• 6:17
  Speaker 2: I know that that's part of it. I've seen it
• 6:18
  Speaker 2: first in in the past. You know, couple of hours,
• 6:22
  Speaker 2: I'm here talking to each and every one of you,
• 6:24
  Speaker 2: and they're making sure that I have everything that I
• 6:26
  Speaker 2: need that I'm ready to go now and for it.
• 6:29
  Speaker 2: I'm ready to suit up on Saturday, so I get
• 6:31
  Speaker 2: a good grip of it.
• 6:32
  Speaker 4: And as a as a you know, a high IQ guy,
• 6:35
  Speaker 4: how do you see yourself fitting like on the court
• 6:37
  Speaker 4: and their play style and what.
• 6:39
  Speaker 2: You were good? Pass the ball to Staf and get
• 6:41
  Speaker 2: out the way easy. That's okay, he can still make it.
• 6:48
  Speaker 2: I saw it in the Olympics.
• 6:51
  Speaker 4: Jimmy, what what was it like for you to have
• 6:53
  Speaker 4: to deal with the speculation and you being a quiet
• 6:56
  Speaker 4: person that you are publicly to sit here now and
• 6:59
  Speaker 4: to now have the security of knowing that you're gonna
• 7:03
  Speaker 4: be here for the foreseeable future.
• 7:04
  Speaker 2: Yeah, speculation is just what it is. Though I like
• 7:08
  Speaker 2: to let people think that what's going on is really
• 7:12
  Speaker 2: going on when that's only one side of every story.
• 7:15
  Speaker 2: I don't have anything to say. I'm good, all of
• 7:18
  Speaker 2: that is behind me. I'm moving forward and I'm I'm
• 7:22
  Speaker 2: happy to be here. I'm happy to be wanted again.
• 7:25
  Speaker 2: So I leave it at that. Did you want to Uh?
• 7:31
  Speaker 2: Maybe at times? But uh, like I said, who cares now?
• 7:35
  Speaker 2: Cause Uh, I'm here, and I would like to think
• 7:37
  Speaker 2: that I wanted to hear Jimmy. One of the last
• 7:40
  Speaker 2: times we heard from you.
• 7:42
  Speaker 1: Hi, was when you said that you just wanted to
• 7:45
  Speaker 1: find your joy in basketball again and you didn't think
• 7:48
  Speaker 1: that you could find it in Miami. Is it as
• 7:50
  Speaker 1: simple as New Jersey and your your back?
• 7:52
  Speaker 2: This is joy? Yeah? I gotta feel like I'm finna
• 7:55
  Speaker 2: be back in a big way too. So I'm smiling.
• 7:58
  Speaker 2: Like I said, I've I've been going that, I've been training,
• 8:00
  Speaker 2: I've been doing everything I'm supposed to be doing. I
• 8:05
  Speaker 2: know that I have my joy back. Now I'm in
• 8:07
  Speaker 2: a different situation, different group of guys. I can't wait
• 8:10
  Speaker 2: to get out there and compete. I've had all the
• 8:12
  Speaker 2: family time I need. I want, I do want my bait,
• 8:16
  Speaker 2: my guys. Yeah, those my guys. Uh yeah, I'm gonna
• 8:20
  Speaker 2: be ready to go.
• 8:21
  Speaker 1: And I hear the coffee is pretty good in the
• 8:22
  Speaker 1: Bay too, So Jimmy or are there any regrets on
• 8:25
  Speaker 1: how this whole whole process played out?
• 8:28
  Speaker 2: Uh? Only one. I just opened my coffee shop in
• 8:32
  Speaker 2: Miami and I can't go there no more. So we're
• 8:35
  Speaker 2: gonna have to figure out a way to get one
• 8:37
  Speaker 2: in San franc Works. Damn sure, hope.
• 8:42
  Speaker 3: So yeah, how big a part of this was the
• 8:47
  Speaker 3: extension that that you signed and the fact that it
• 8:49
  Speaker 3: lines up with STUFH.
• 8:50
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm not gonna say that was a big part,
• 8:53
  Speaker 2: but I'm happy about it. I am happy about it.
• 8:57
  Speaker 2: I think the biggest part was just getting me to
• 8:59
  Speaker 2: be able to play back faketball again. Uh. I just
• 9:03
  Speaker 2: want to be able to go out there and do
• 9:05
  Speaker 2: what I've been doing for a very long time and
• 9:08
  Speaker 2: have fun and smile and rip a run and I
• 9:11
  Speaker 2: feel like I'm just doing cardio majority of the game.
• 9:14
  Speaker 2: So I'm very, very very happy that I'm not getting suspended.
• 9:19
  Speaker 2: No more. Great, perfect, Thank you.
• 9:23
  Speaker 1: We're gonna do a quick photo with the jersey. There
• 9:28
  Speaker 1: you guys want to stand up?
• 9:29
  Speaker 3: Guys next?
• 9:31
  Speaker 5: Great?
• 9:32
  Speaker 2: You know we're ten here.
• 9:34
  Speaker 1: This guy get this