2 NBA Finals in 5 full seasons with the Miami Heat is how most people will cherish Jimmy Butler’s time with the former franchise. Some will definitely remember the ugly fallout that lasted for weeks, which resulted in his multiple suspensions. Docked $3 million in pay, the 36-year-old infamously said, not finding his joy with the team. 8 months after the trade to the Golden State Warriors, more news comes out of him causing ‘discomfort’ in the Heat locker room. But at least he has a close ally defending him.

Using Ernny the Man as his social media username, he has been Butler’s close friend for quite some time. From posting front row tickets for the games to watching soccer games for CONCACAF back in April, one can find Ernny the Man close to Jimmy Butler. So, it’s natural when he defended the 6x All-Star. “A locker room full of grown men letting one person control the aux cord and causing discomfort. But that’s Heat Culture 😂😂😂🤣🤣“. Fully being against the recent report, which detailed issues with Jimmy Buckets’ conduct towards his former teammates.

Five Reasons Sports’ Ethan J. Skolnick, who followed the team for the longest time, stated, “I’ll just say it — when I was in the locker room, there would be discomfort at times. Jimmy controlled the music always, okay? Nobody else could touch it. And I remember being in Orlando for a trip that he didn’t take.” We already know Pat Riley’s comments, and being away from his kids took a toll on Jimmy Butler. But he was still one of the leaders in the Heat squad.

However, the recent report states that other teammates were not always on board, at least with his music taste. Speaking about Jimmy missing the Orlando trip, Skolnick added how the vibes changed. “Thank God, okay? I know you’re gonna be surprised that I say this, but I hate country music. But it’s ’cause Jimmy wasn’t there. It was like they were unleashed to be themselves and enjoy the music that they like and not have to worry about this guy controlling it.” The teammates’ dislike of the music that Butler played is understandable.

After all, the current Warriors superstar is known to be a huge country music fan. In fact, the veteran forward also appeared in a music video for the country song “Light It Up” by Luke Bryan and the emo song “So Much (for) Stardust” by Fall Out Boy. But did the choice of music lead to a rift in the locker room? After all, when Jimmy Buckets returned to Miami as a Warriors player, after the match, there were no post-game hugs, daps, or handshakes exchanged with the former players.

Jimmy Butler felt miserable with the Miami Heat

From the onset, we got the real feelings known of the 36-year-old All-Star when he said he couldn’t find on-court joy in Miami. During a recent episode of ‘Dubs Talk’, Butler disclosed that he was actually “miserable” on the Miami Heat before getting traded to the Golden State Warriors. One may think this was due to locker-room issues or his problems with President Pat Riley. But instead, it was because Jimmy Butler was away from his kids while they lived in California.

“The reason I’m extremely happy is because my kids are closer to me now,” Butler admitted. “My kids are in California, so going that long and I wasn’t seeing my kids, I was miserable. That’s the part of the game that the outside eye doesn’t see. You think it’s just basketball, but it’s not.” Being close to his kids is also important for Butler, after he unfortunately lost his father in February last year. Plus, now he feels wanted in the Golden State, and that’s why in April, the veteran forward admitted, ‘I got my joy back’.

Continuing on ‘Dubs Talk’, Butler added, “I’m happy because I’m wanted, I’m happy because I’ve got an incredible group of guys, I’m happy because I know we can win a championship, but I’m happy because I get my kids around, too.” Being around his children and with teammates who appreciate him led him to deliver instant results. The team went on a 23-7 run with him in the squad, as they finished 7th, with just 2 games back from achieving the third spot.