Jimmy Butler Won't Play for Another Team After Heat: 'Last Jersey That I Wear'

During the early stages of his career, Jimmy Butler couldn't envision himself ever sporting a Miami Heat jersey, but now he fully intends to retire with the franchise.

Butler, who was selected by the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the 2011 draft, was asked by ESPN's Malika Andrews about an interview from the early stages of his career in which he said he'd never want to wear a Heat jersey.

"When I'm coming into the league, the Heat used to beat the Bulls all the time when they had the Big 3, the Heatles, whatever you want to call them," Butler said. "So me getting drafted to the Bulls, we can't like the Miami Heat. You can't like D-Wade even though you went to the same school.

"Then you fast forward and I'm playing with D-Wade with the Bulls, I'm like, 'This guy is not a bad guy.' It was just [Tom Thibodeau] that kept hitting me upside my head. And now, full circle, it'll be the last jersey that I wear."

Butler spent the first six seasons of his career in Chicago before he was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves ahead of the 2017-18 campaign in a deal that included Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and the No. 7 overall pick—used to select Lauri Markkanen—being sent to the Bulls.

After he spent a season-and-a-half in Minnesota, the Timberwolves traded Butler to the Philadelphia 76ers during the 2018-19 season, and the franchise then flipped him to Miami in a four-team deal prior to the 2019-20 campaign.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Butler went on to sign a four-year, $184 million extension with the Heat in August 2021, and now Miami is back in the NBA Finals for the second time in four seasons.

Butler is the heart and soul of the Heat, and he has led the No. 8 seed on an improbable run to the Finals with upsets of the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round, the New York Knicks in the semifinals and the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals.

The 33-year-old, who is still looking for his first title, is having the best statistical postseason of his career. In 17 games, he is averaging 28.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 2.1 steals while shooting 48.3 percent from the floor and 35.6 percent from deep.

Butler and the Heat will look to keep the momentum going in the NBA Finals against Nikola Jokić and the Denver Nuggets.

Game 1 is slated for Thursday at 8:30 p.m. ET at Ball Arena in Denver.