Chicago Bulls All-Star and the 2015 Most Improved Player Jimmy Butler was a guest on ESPN's First Take last Wednesday and he shot down rumors of a "beef" with former Most Valuable Player (MVP) Derrick Rose.
In the interview, Butler said the only reason there is a reported tension between him and Rose is that their team lost.
"I don't think we have any beef or whatever you want to call it. I think we just want to win. We didn't win, so now we're beefing, now we have a problem with each other, and I don't think that's the case," Butler discussed.
He added, "I think he's always been supportive of me being aggressive, especially on offense. We all know that I'll be the aggressor on defense. So from what I can tell, the guy's always been in my corner."
Butler emerged for the Bulls last season and really had the chance to play alongside Rose who returned after facing knee injuries.
The 25-year-old athlete played his best basketball during the 2014-15 season as he averaged 20.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.8 steals.
Butler helped Chicago reach the second round of the playoffs but was again eliminated by a team led by four-time MVP LeBron James who re-joined the Cleveland Cavaliers last season.
The Bulls took a 2-1 series lead against the Cavaliers but lost the next three games to bow out of the season with another disappointing campaign.
Butler averaged 22.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 2.4 steals in their playoff push.
Despite the great regular season and playoff run the Bulls had last season, head coach Tom Thibodeau was still sacked.
Thibodeau served as the main man on the sidelines for Chicago for five years and he led the Bulls to the playoffs in each season of his coaching stint with the team.
He has been replaced by former Iowa State University head coach Fred Hoiberg.
