Jimmy Butler Meyers Leonard
Photo: Yahoo Sports

Jimmy Butler has just about destroyed all of the narratives regarding his move to the Miami Heat in the summer by simply helping his team win games and making them contenders in the East.

When it was announced that he was leaving Philly for South Beach in the offseason, he was accused of going there for the money and not being motivated by winning titles.

A few months later, the Heat look to be a legitimate threat in their conference, far removed from the mediocrity that strangled them last season. They had two players in this year’s All-Star game, as well as one player in each of the Saturday-night activities.

Butler was interviewed by Sports Illustrated recently and had a message for all of the critics who predicted he’d languish in Miami.

“They can kiss my a**,” he declared. “You’re entitled to your opinion, but stay on the radio. You know, everybody’s big and bad on the internet. That’s O.K. The group of guys that we got, we’re gonna win. We’re gonna be fine. All I ask is that you keep that same energy when it’s like, ‘Ohhhh, [the Heat are] surprising all these people.’ Nope. I want you to still say that Jimmy made the wrong choice and their team is terrible.”

Butler isn’t ready to accept the “bad teammate” tag either, and he says he simply can’t stand people not doing what they need to do to be great.

“Get your a** up with me and come train at 5,” he said. “You’ll be pissed off when other people don’t do what they need to do to be great. You’ll be pissed off, too.”