Jimmy Butler on Joel Embiid vs. Karl-Anthony Towns Fight: 'Jo Is My Guy'
Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler told NBA on TNT sideline reporter Kristen Ledlow that "Jo is my guy" following an on-court fight between Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid and Minnesota Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns on Wednesday.
"I knew somehow someway I was going to get (dragged) into the clash of the titans, Butler said, per Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press.
"... As soon as I saw it, I was like 'Here we go. My name's getting thrown into it.' And Jo is my guy. I knew he would be the one to throw me into it."
Butler played with Towns on the Minnesota Timberwolves for a year-plus before being traded to Embiid's 76ers in November 2018. The Heat acquired him in a sign-and-trade this offseason.
On Wednesday, Embiid and Towns were both ejected. However, the war of words spilled into social media, with Embiid referencing his former teammate in an Instagram post:
He also seemingly referred to Butler as "you know who" in another comment:
Butler did not have the best of relationships with Towns and the Timberwolves, as noted by Haley O'Shaughnessy of The Ringer.
Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times also reported that Butler did not like the alleged "nonchalant" attitudes of his younger Timberwolves teammates and that he had no intention of signing long-term in Minnesota.
Embiid and Butler clearly got along, with the big man telling ESPN's Rachel Nichols that he wished the Heat guard/forward was still in Philadelphia.
As for what's next, Embiid and Towns were suspended two games apiece for their part in the brawls, per Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic.
The second and final regular-season matchup between the 76ers and Timberwolves will take place in Minnesota on March 24.
