Jimmy Butler elected to sit out the NBA All-Star Game this past Sunday. While four players watched from the bench due to injuries, Butler elected to sit out of his own volition. He just wanted the rest.
It was a reasonable decision—the man is playing 37.3 minutes per game and carrying a heavy load for the Timberwolves—but it obviously didn't sit well with everyone. One person who called Butler out on it: Clippers guard Lou Williams, who tweeted at Butler.
Before the T-Wolves' game against the Houston Rockets Friday, ESPN sideline reporter Cassidy Hubbarth asked Butler about the backlash he received.Â
"Look, I'm the one who has to guard James Harden for 40 minutes," Butler said, according to Hubbarth. "And I know the fans are upset, but they need to understand it is a long grind of a season, and I'm not trying to cut my minutes, but when I have an opportunity to take a break, I will."
She also asked about Williams' tweet. Butler's response was cold as ice.
"My thing is this: To Lou and to whoever else thinks they're an All-Star, with all due respect, LeBron and them got $100,000 for winning," Butler said. "If you got 100K to put up and we play one another, you guard me, I guard you, I'm gonna show you why. All this talk? Put $100,000 up, and I'll show you why and where I'm at."
Jimmy Butler told @CassidyHubbarth that if anyone seriously questions his All-Star status, he'll go 1-on-1 for $100K to show them where he's at. pic.twitter.com/tzAO95HJJW
If we know anything about Lou Will, he won't back down from this challenge.
Butler left Friday's game in Houston in the third quarter with a right knee injury.
Jimmy Butler being helped off the court by Towns and Aldrich. Unable to put any weight on leg in Houston
