Karl-Anthony Towns was repeatedly questioned about his connection with Jimmy Butler, responding, “I’m a Knick.”
Before Jimmy Butler joined the Miami Heat, he was teammates with Karl-Anthony Towns on the Minnesota Timberwolves. They played alongside each other during the 2017-18 season and part of the 2018-19 season.
Before Miami’s game against the New York Knicks—Towns’ current team—on Wednesday night, Towns was asked about his relationship with Butler but gave a vague response.
A few months ago, audio from a 2021 conversation between Butler and Towns surfaced online, where Butler called his former teammate “soft as baby s—” and a “loser.” In response, Towns suggested Butler should call Rachel Nichols, alluding to rumors about Butler’s relationship with the former ESPN reporter during the NBA bubble.
As they head into Wednesday’s matchup, the Knicks and Heat have different records. The Knicks are 1-2 this season, with losses to the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers, while their only win came against the Indiana Pacers, the team that eliminated them in the second round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs.
Towns hasn’t had the best start with the Knicks, averaging 15.3 points on 50% shooting, along with 10.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. He scored just 13 points in New York’s latest game against the Cavaliers.
Meanwhile, the Heat have won two of their first three games, bouncing back after a disappointing season opener against the Orlando Magic. With victories over the Charlotte Hornets and Detroit Pistons, Miami aims to extend its winning streak to three with a win over the Knicks.
It will be interesting to see if Butler talks trash to Towns again on Wednesday, and whether Towns can improve after his lackluster performance against Cleveland.
