Former Chicago Bulls star Jimmy Butler and New England Patriots star Antonio Brown appear to share a lot in common, but one similarity trumps all: their ego.
The way former Chicago Bulls star Jimmy Butler handled his tenure with the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Philadelphia 76ers only to sign a new contract this summer with the Miami Heat is strikingly similar to the narrative surrounding the NFL’s Antonio Brown, the star wide receiver who’s made national headlines recently over his disruptive stints with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Oakland Raiders only to reach a new deal to play for the New England Patriots.
In case you missed it, Butler threw a bit of tantrum to get out of Minnesota, got traded to Philadelphia and found a new home during free agency with the Heat.
Brown, whose antics are markedly more bizarre than Butler’s, was dealt in a sign-and-trade deal to the Raiders after a tumultuous time with the Steelers only to sign a new $15 million contract with the Patriots.
Both stories highlight what appears to be the rich and famous lives of professional athletes with big egos.
In the case of Butler, he couldn’t see himself being able to co-exist with Timberwolves stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins. Butler has long desired to be the go-to guy that a franchise can build around. In Minnesota, Butler was offered the opportunity to be third-best athlete on the roster, which he took issue with.
Not surprisingly, chaos ensued when Butler came to understand that the Timberwolves organization may not offer him the maximum deal. About that time, Wiggins was granted a contract extension that some may feel is questionable considering how much he’s underachieved. The level of disfunction created in the locker room eventually cost head coach Tom Thibodeau his job.
Butler was ultimately traded to the 76ers where he would have the opportunity to play for another young team headed up by stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. Butler’s time in Philadelphia, while short, did not pass without its share of controversy.
At times, Butler butted heads with head coach Brett Brown. As the season went on, it seemed the 76ers organization was interested in engaging in contract negotiations with Butler.
Butler ultimately did not pursue a contract with the 76ers only to sign a four-year, $142 million maximum deal with the Heat. It remains unclear if the 76ers would’ve entertained the idea of offering Butler nearly as much money. Instead, a four-team sign-and-trade was executed to send Butler packing.
In Miami, Butler has arguably become the face the Heat organization, even as he has yet to play an actual game. Butler will have an adjustment to make when he does suit up. Unlike the 76ers, the Heat failed to clinch a playoff spot last season, which is something to watch out for when the Butler era begins in Miami.
Could Butler become a disruption in the locker room again, much like did during his time with the Timberwolves?
In the case of Brown, he showed up to play big time when the Steelers organization needed it the most. The problem is Brown exhibited unpredictable behavior that became unbearable at times. The Steelers ultimately decided earlier this year to package Brown in a sign-and-trade deal with the Raiders.
Since then, Brown has been making a ton of headlines for his antics. Those include, among other things, refusing to play unless he can wear a certain helmet, not practicing after getting frostbite on his feet and using social media to accelerate his release from the Raiders.
Hours after the Raiders organization made the release of Brown official, the Patriots signed him to $15 million deal, which is absurd considering he could’ve earned north of $30 million playing in Oakland.
In New England, Brown will add a bit of talent to the Patriot’s wide receiver depth chart. Not to mention he will join an organization with a winning legacy. Time will only tell when Brown’s antics resurface again.