Jimmy Butler knows how the media game is played.
We ask him a non-inflammatory question. He gives a seemingly innocuous answer. But if either the question or answer (or both) is centered around a big name, his response has the potential to go viral and come back to hurt him on the court.
Exhibit A, per the Chicago Tribune‘s K.C. Johnson:
Butler, on if LBJ is toughest guard: "If I say he is, then next time I play Durant, he's going to try to score 60. You're not gonna get me."
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) March 28, 2017
Touche, Jimmy. Touche.
If it helps, Butler needn’t worry about playing Kevin Durant anytime soon. The Chicago Bulls already wrapped up their season series with the Golden State Warriors, and the dudes in red aren’t anywhere near good enough to reach the NBA Finals. But his point stands. If he would have said LeBron James isn’t the hardest player in the league to guard, Bron Bron might have come out on Thursday, in Chicago, ready to explode for a jillion points and zillion assists at Butler’s expense.
As someone who has asked these questions in the past, players are best off waiting to provide answers until after they retire. This way, if any of the included subjects feels slighted or takes his choice personally, the answeree won’t ever pay for it on the hardwood.
