Jimmy Butler證實去季更衣室的不和傳聞

假如用「雷聲大，雨點少」來形容去季的公牛，就實屬最貼切不過。這支六屆總冠軍盟主，去季有Jimmy Butler，Pau Gasol，Derrick Rose，以及Joakim Noah等球星壓陣下，最終只能以第九名衝線，八年來首次失落季後賽的資格。但何故擁有冠軍級人馬的公牛，成績會突然一跌千丈？有傳陣中靈魂人物Butler與兩位老臣子Rose和Noah不和，導致隊內軍心散渙。空穴來風，未必無因。日前Butler就承認了確有此事發生。
Butler接受太陽時報的採訪時，就對不和傳聞直認不諱。據知，三人在更衣室的關係相當緊張，Rose和Noah尤其不滿Butler在事前無任何知會下，無視這兩位老臣子，在一眾年輕球員面前充當領導者，令兩人看在眼內。但Butler解釋自己作為年輕球員的榜樣，以及球隊的靈魂人物，自不然需要以身作則，更表示不介意外界把他標籤。同時，亦不點名批評某些球員不思進取，而他為了球隊的利益著想，所作的決定也只是迫不得已。

引用“I say this in the most humble way possible and I mean that, is the [young players] here see Jimmy Butler the two-time All-Star, the Olympian, a 20-point per game scorer, the player I have been since a lot of these young guys came into the league,’’ Butler said. “They didn’t see the guy that was trying to get off the bench like other people have, and I don’t need to say names. So as my role changed, the way I go about the game changed. If I’m not playing well I’m hurting my team because I’m supposed to be a reason we win.

“Now, the way I handle my business is, ‘Look man, I want to win. I don’t give a expletive if you like me or not. I’m here to win.’ ‘’

雖然Butler未有公開點名批評，但抨擊對象其實已呼之欲出。姑勿論其說法是否真確，只知道分別效力了八年的Rose和九年的Noah，最終「敗走」到紐約人，而Butler則與Dwyane Wade和Rajon Rondo組成「三巨頭」。安定軍心是教練職責的重要一環，Fred Hoiberg顯然未有做好工作，難怪公牛去季的成績會如此差勁。


資料來源：http://www.foxsports.com/nba/story/jimmy-butler-explains-last-years-locker-room-problems-with-the-bulls-102116