Bulls reporter: Jimmy Butler has ‘collosal ego,’ hangs with Mark Wahlberg

We have heard enough information about Jimmy Butler over the past year or so to safely conclude he is not the most well-liked player in the Chicago Bulls’ locker room. And from the sound of it, he doesn’t really care.


On Saturday, Bulls.com reporter Sam Smith told Jason McIntyre on FOX Sports Radio that Butler has a “colossal ego” and isolates himself from his teammates.


“He’s really kind of full of himself,” Smith said. “He hangs around with Mark Wahlberg, the actor, and lets us know about that a lot. He goes around to premiers or whatever. He announced before the season that he’s the leader of the team and guys are looking around going, ‘What are you talking about?’


“It’s a really weird dynamic. He doesn’t like to socialize with the other players. Back in November they had a team bonding thing. They all chartered a bus and went up to wine country for the day. The only one who didn’t go was Jimmy.”


- See more at: http://larrybrownsports.com/basketball/jimmy-butler-collosal-ego-hangs-with-mark-wahlberg/301183

 

Seen this movie before. Smear job by the organization to excuse really bad basketball decisions.

 

Smear job in full effect.

 

Unbelievable. Talking down his trade value. Force him to stay, unhappy: "we tried to trade you but all we were offered was crap."

Or just plain incompetence.

 

Its about job preservation, not winning. Can't blame them for trading a malcontent.

 

Lunacy.

 

I think I might be done until this team gets new ownership/management. This shit is cray cray.

 

Should have seen it coming when they fired Skiles on Christmas Eve



Stay classy, GarPaxDorf.

 

I can't understand, what benefit is it to talk down about Butler? Especially if he can be traded? What possible good does it accomplish?

With Gar still here this summer, I can see why some Bulls fans are leaving now. Some left last season.

Changes need to be made, do we trust Gar to do them?

 

They talked Thibs down. What good does that do?
They were doing the same with Rose when he wasn't coming back from his injury as quickly as they wanted.

The Bulls do this all the time. Manage the home market PR. Its not about winning so if you get less of a haul for him when you dump him, so be it, just make sure he's smeared on the way out so management doesn't look bad in dealing a "malcontent."

 

True. Has to be just that. It is still mind boggling!

 

The money quotes are not from a Smith article, but rather an interview done by some Fox radio affiliate. I listened to the interview. I believe that Sam Smith believes that Jimmy Butler has "gotten too big for his britches." I'm not saying Smith is wrong.

For those who firmly believe that Smith's opinion in this regard is part of a Bulls' management-directed smear campaign against Butler, the team's most valuable asset, you are looney (IMHO).

 

Smith smeared Jordan back in the day. Bulls don't like their players being so popular they're powerful, too.

 

OR.....Smith has a problem with ego-centric Bulls players who dwarf him in importance.

Sam Smith has a big ego. Media people with big egos love to point out this characteristic in others. That's pretty much what I take away from this.

 

OR .... Smith has been a mouthpiece for the Bulls organization for a long time.

Chasing Jordan out of town would have been a disaster if he was squeaky clean, G.O.A.T.

 

I see a pattern.

 

Of course not.

Better question: why does Reinsdorf? Because he doesn't care about competing. Gar is just a syncophant.

 

Sam Smith is an employee of the Chicago Bulls.

Things you won't read / hear Sam Smith writing about / saying.
John Paxson being bad at his job.
Gar Foreman being bad at his job (until he's placed up on the sacrificial altar by Paxson)
Freddy Del Hoiberg being bad at his job (at least for 1 more season)
Uncle Jerry being a bad owner.
Doug McDermott being a major disappointment for what the Bulls gave up for him (until perhaps its time to pay him more or Gar is dumped)


Things you will read / hear Sam Smith writing about / saying.
Anti - Thibs rhetoric or at the least dog whistle during last years smear.
Anti- Jimmy rhetoric or at the lest dog whistle if he keeps pushing back against Hoiberg / Gar.

He's an in-house "journalist" for the org that relies on the org for checks. He's one small step away from being part of the corporate communications team.

 

"The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Chicago Bulls. All opinions expressed by Sam Smith are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Chicago Bulls or their Basketball Operations staff, parent company, partners, or sponsors. His sources are not known to the Bulls and he has no special access to information beyond the access and privileges that go along with being an NBA accredited member of the media."
http://www.nba.com/bulls/sam-smith

Not saying I agree with it, just adding it to the conversation.

 

And that is why I wrote this