Dwyane Wade Offers Blunt Reaction to Jimmy Butler's Playoff Run

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The Golden State Warriors' season ended abruptly in the second round of the playoffs against the No. 6 seed Minnesota Timberwolves.

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The Warriors fell short in five games to Minnesota, much of it due to the loss of their superstar guard, Stephen Curry. Curry missed Games 2-5 and most of Game 1 due to a hamstring strain. While the loss of Curry was devastating, many figured that Jimmy Butler was enough to carry the load until Curry returned to the lineup.

However, that was far from the case, as Butler did not play up to par. The 35-year-old forward was mediocre at best for the Warriors, especially in the last two games of the season.

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Many weren't impressed with Butler's performance, including NBA Hall of Famer and three-time champion Dwyane Wade.

Dwyane Wade
Former Miami Heat player Dwayne Wade and Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat embrace on the court after a game against the Charlotte Hornets at Kaseya Center on January 14, 2024 in Miami, Florida.... Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images

On Wade's podcast, he was blunt about Butler's playoff performance, saying he did not live up to his contract in the biggest moment.

"I think the thing with Jimmy is, I didn't like the way he just approached the game," Wade said. "I know Jimmy is a pass-first guy. I know he's about getting his teammates the ball, and want to see them shine. But it's a point where, you're getting $60 [million.] This ain't working. You gotta go.

"He won't look at the basket. And I've seen this before. I've seen it in the Heat jersey."

Wade didn't stop there—he also noted that Butler appeared hesitant at times during the playoffs, particularly in key moments.

"Jimmy Butler's too good of a basketball player to not have his imprint on the game. And sorry, sir. When it's time for you to take over, you just have to. And even when you can't do it, from the standpoint of you ain't making no shots, I don't care. Shoot. It's bad offense if you're not shooting.

"Getting too close in that paint, and not putting that ball up to that basket, that's bad offense."

Butler's overall playoff numbers were solid, but in Games 4 and 5, he did not do enough to extend the series. In those two games, he averaged 15.5 points per game, six rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.5 steals while only attempting 20 shots on 45 percent shooting and only attempting four threes in 76 total minutes.

The six-time All-Star was not good enough for his team, and Wade couldn't help but provide his former teammate with some tough love.

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About the writer

Ricardo Sandoval is a Newsweek contributor based in Los Angeles, CA. His focus is sports content. Ricardo has been with Newsweek since 2024 and also writes for On SI for the Lakers, Bucks, Celtics, Pacers, and Trail Blazers sites. Ricardo also is a staff writer for Dodgers Nation. He is a graduate of California State University Northridge. You can get in touch with Ricardo by emailing r.klein@newsweek.com. You can also follow Ricardo on X @_RicardoSand


Ricardo Sandoval is a Newsweek contributor based in Los Angeles, CA. His focus is sports content. Ricardo has been with Newsweek since 2024 and also writes ... Read more