Jimmy Butler has been in the news a lot this season but mostly for the wrong reasons. He spent months trying to force his way out of Miami, engaging in an ugly public back-and-forth with Heat president Pat Riley. Now he’s being sued by his former landlord for nearly $800,000 in unpaid rent and damages to the property he rented in Miami Beach.
Advertisement
It’s a shame Butler is once again getting negative press, because his arrival has been a godsend for the Golden State Warriors. The Dubs have rejuvenated their entire season by adding Butler, winning nine of their last 10 games and moving up to sixth in the Western Conference.
Butler and his new team have quickly fallen for each other, and his presence has helped unleash Steph Curry once again. The Warriors were considered an afterthought before Butler arrived, but that’s very much not the case anymore.
Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson brought up some interesting details about Butler’s latest issues on last night’s episode of Nightcap. The lawsuit claims Butler allegedly had the locks changed to keep the owner from accessing the property and that mold grew in the floors and ceilings from his lack of maintenance.
Sharpe wondered aloud how Butler was even paying $130,000 a month in rent in the first place, saying “$1.5 million on a $10-million home? That’s crazy. That’s just bonkers.” Sharpe’s numbers were a bit off, as the rental home was listed at $30 million, not $10 million.
If what the suit alleges is true, though, it’s just another data point to prove how done with Miami Butler really was. With the way he burned his bridges with the Heat, it’s at least plausible that he did the same with his former landlord.
Jimmy Butler’s actions prove that he knew he’d be leaving the Heat
Sharpe and Johnson wondered why Butler, who spent over five years with the Heat, was renting to begin with. Turns out, he did own a house but sold it over the summer for $8.3 million.
The fact that Butler sold his house at the end of the season seems like proof he intended to force his way out of Miami despite still having two years left on his contract. The timeline matches up with Pat Riley’s criticism of Butler after the Celtics knocked the Heat out of the playoffs in the first round last year.
The last thing the Warriors need right now is a distraction to derail their winning ways. Butler’s arrival has given the Warriors new life, so hopefully he and his former landlord can hash this out without it becoming a lingering issue.
