Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat host LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. Butler and the Heat are undefeated at home and have the second-best record in the East. The Lakers, meanwhile, have the best record in the West and are tied with the Milwaukee Bucks for the best record in the NBA.

Butler sat down with Rachel Nichols of ESPN for an exclusive interview and in typical Butler fashion, the new Heat star pretended to forget James' name as LeBron returns for South Beach. Take a look:

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The Heat are 18-6 on the season and Butler is playing some of his best basketball. The four-time All-Star is averaging 20.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 7.0 assists on the season while shooting 43.1 percent from the field, 30.4 percent from beyond the arc and 82.7 percent from the free-throw line.

In the post-Dwyane Wade era, Miami president Pat Riley has found his new franchise player. Riley and head coach Erik Spoelstra are hoping Butler can lead the Heat back to promised land. Miami missed the playoffs in 2018-19, but is well on its way to making it this season.

As part of a sign-and-trade deal between the Heat and Sixers, Butler signed a four-year, $141 million deal with Miami. A lot of pundits questioned Butler’s move to South Beach. However, Butler is proving everyone wrong so far and has the Heat playing elite basketball.