Butler: Warriors wanting me is 'ultimate sign of respect'
Jimmy Butler is thrilled to be with the Golden State Warriors, saying they're giving him exactly what he's looking for.
"I saw a group that wanted me to be a part of it," Butler said, according to Andscape's Marc J. Spears. "That's all you ever wanted to be is wanted in this life, not just in this league. In anything, you want to be wanted. Needed is like a necessity. Wanted is like somebody's choosing to bring you aboard this. I think that's the ultimate sign of respect."
Golden State acquired Butler from the Miami Heat on Feb. 5 and then signed the star wing to a two-year extension. Butler said he spoke to Stephen Curry and Draymond Green soon after the trade was announced, with both longtime Warrior players sharing what they believe he could offer the team.
"They said, 'We can do something special. We need what you bring. The winning mentality, the hard nose on both sides of the ball,'" Butler said. "That's what they told me that I bring, and I'm like, 'Come on with it.'"
Butler appeared in two Finals with the Heat but has never won an NBA title in his 14-year career. Coming to Golden State, his one goal is to lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
"When I walked in, I was like, 'Yo, look, man, I'm only here to win,'" Butler said. "'I don't care about nothing else. I don't care about points. I don't care about shots. I don't care about none of that. I'm only here to win, and I've always only been places to win. So, whatever y'all need me to do, y'all let me know.'"
Since Butler's arrival, the Warriors have gone 14-2 and moved into sixth place in the West. Prior to the trade, Golden State was 25-26 and 10th in the conference.
"The organization is great, the guys are great, winning is great, and we do any and everything that it takes to win here," Butler said. "That's what makes my mental so great. We're winning again."
Butler dominated the media spotlight earlier this season as he attempted to force his exit from Miami and earned three team suspensions in January. However, since joining the Warriors, he said he's managed to keep the conversation off himself.
"There's no talking about myself, which is great," Butler said. "Let me go drink my coffee, play my dominoes, and leave me alone."