"The No. 22 looks good in purple & gold” - Jimmy Butler drops subtle hint about Lakers links after being spotted wearing Cameron Brink's jersey
Longtime NBA star Jimmy Butler trolled NBA fans during the LA Sparks' recent 81-72 win over the Dallas Wings on Friday. At one point during the broadcast on ION TV, Butler spoke to the courtside correspondent. In addition to indicating that he has been spending as much time as possible in LA, he dropped a cheeky reference to an offseason move that would land him on the LA Lakers.
Butler is, of course, on the final guaranteed year of his three-year, $146 million deal with the Miami Heat through the 2024-25 season. Following that, he will be faced with a player option during next summer's offseason, at which point he will have a chance to decide whether or not to opt out of the final year of his deal.
In the meantime, however, there has been some talk of the Heat potentially trading Butler following a season that once again saw the star deal with injuries. Unlike the 2022-23 postseason, however, Jimmy Butler's MCL injury this year forced him to the sidelines and contributed to a first-round exit for Miami.
Amid the trade rumors, Jimmy Butler decided to troll fans while watching the LA Sparks. After being asked how he was spending his offseason, and Sparks rookie Cameron Brink, Butler stated:
"A lot of stuff you probably shouldn't be doing. Trying to stay out the way. Being in LA as much as possible because I realize the Sparks are great. The LA team's really good. ... For some reason, 22 just looks good in purple and gold."
Butler, of course, wears number 22 for the Miami Heat, making the comment a veiled reference at a potential move to the LA Lakers this offseason.
Looking at the latest Jimmy Butler trade rumors
Jimmy Butler's recent comments at the LA Sparks-Dallas Wings WNBA game wasn't the only trolling Butler has been doing as of late. Following rumors that the Heat could look to trade him this offseason, Butler has seemingly decided to have some fun with fans and media members.
Prior to his attendance at Saturday night's game, Butler posted an image to his Instagram story from a private jet. In the background, San Jose can be seen listed as the targeted destination on a screen, not far from where the Golden State Warriors play.
The post fueled discussions around the NBA community, with many wondering whether Jimmy Butler was simply doing some trolling, or if he was in town on business. While it's unclear whether or not Miami has any intention of trading the star, the trade rumors have continued to fly.
Mock trades have landed Butler everywhere from Golden State to Los Angeles to Houston, and everywhere in between. At the same time, there has been talk of other teams such as the Philadelphia 76ers looking to bring Butler back to pair with Joel Embiid.
With several months to figure things out before the start of the 2024-25 season, it will be interesting to see what other trolling Butler does.