As Butler doled out hugs and greetings to friends and familiar faces pregame, it was all a reminder of how life comes at you fast in the NBA. It was less than two years ago that Butler was the alpha dog and longest-tenured member of a historic Bulls franchise attempting to make one more playoff run with its core. Then came a playoff berth and messy exit with the Wolves before he landed on a young, burgeoning 76ers team that accelerated its championship timetable with his acquisition.
“That’s the league for you,” Butler said.
So much has changed for the Bulls too. Early in his pregame comments, Butler joked that center Robin Lopez was the “last of a dying breed” in that he was one of the few current Bulls to have even played with Butler before his trade to the Timberwolves in June 2017, which netted Chicago building blocks in Lauri Markkanen and Zach LaVine.
Beyond Butler’s exit marking the start of the Bulls’ rebuild, perhaps their most notable change is in first-year coach in Jim Boylen, who was promoted after Fred Hoiberg was fired on Dec. 3. Butler holds Boylen in high regard after spending two seasons working with him.
“He’s a guy that I talked to a lot whenever I was here,” Butler said. “He had to deal with me a lot of the times. I learned a lot from him. He learned a lot about me.
“I’m not surprised (by his promotion). I think Jim’s a great coach, a great human being. Fred too man. Fred was an incredible person. I’m happy for Jim. He studies the game incredibly hard. He would teach me a lot things, show me a lot of things whenever I was here. I think he’s going to be great for the young group of guys that they have here because I know that he works, I know that he studies the game. And he wants to win. I think this city, of all cities, definitely deserves that.”
Boylen is known for his straightforward, direct approach with players. It’s hallmark that he’s proud of even if it ruffles feathers, which it did during his first week on the job when a few of his players raised the idea of boycotting a practice after a back-to-back set of games, landing the Bulls in the national headlines.
Perhaps not surprisingly, Butler – who once said Hoiberg needed to “coach harder” – appreciates Boylen’s style. He also believes it’s exactly what the young Bulls need.
“He’s honest and that he’s real all the time,” Butler said. “He’s going to tell you what you want to hear if you want to hear it and if you don’t want to hear it, he’s still going to tell you. That’s what I loved about him. That’s who I am in a nutshell as well. I think that’s why we clicked, why we get along. That’s why we were able to have a couple glasses of wine together while I was here.”
As for himself, Butler insists he has found what he wanted, at least for now – a place with a winner. He can enter free agency this July, but his focus is on helping lift the 76ers (41-23 and fourth in the East) to a deep playoff run.
“It’s been great,” Butler said. “We’re winning. I’m smiling. I’m happy. I love the group of guys that we have. I got my people with me at the home.
“These guys know where my heart is, the coaches know where my heart is. I just want to win. I want to bring the best out of everybody. We have fun. We all get along. We all understand. I think that’s the most important part about it.”