Not many NBA fans are aware that Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler and Utah Jazz forward Joe Ingles have a long-standing beef. It started when Butler was still with the Chicago Bulls and he and Ingles got entangled in a screen. They almost came to blows before cooler heads prevailed.
Since then, according to a feature by ESPN's Tim MacMahon, both haven't stopped talking smack to each other whenever they meet on the court. They have incurred four-figure fines from the league for their shenanigans. Still, Butler and Ingles didn't stop. Until early this season.
A few minutes before the tip-off between the Heat and the Jazz, Butler approached Ingles and said they should end their rivalry. Butler revealed to MacMahon what he told Ingles exactly.
“‘OK, man, give it a break. We've been in this league for way too long now. C'mon, man, chill with the T's. I want my money, you want your money. Let it go.'”
To which Ingles immediately acquiesced.
“I was like, ‘I'm with it because I'm trying to save some money, too.' Ever since then, we've gotten along pretty well.”
Butler has always been a competitive dude. His tough upbringing gave him what seems like a perpetual chip on his shoulder. It's this dogged attitude that has set the tone for the Heat since his arrival in 2019.
While he's had a rocky campaign so far due to injuries, Butler remains as the focal point of the Heat, who are no. 3 in the Eastern Conference with a 26-15 record.
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