There's a Jimmy Butler story making the rounds and it doesn't involve his trade demands or sitting out a game due to "general soreness." Instead, it's just a case of Butler being a good friend and teammate.
The Minnesota Timberwolves had a day off in Los Angeles yesterday in between games against the Clippers and Lakers, and point guard Tyus Jones wanted to watch his younger brother, Tre Jones, make his Duke debut in person at the Champions Classic in Indianapolis. The problem was, Jones couldn't find any flights that would get him to the Duke vs Kentucky game, and back to L.A. in time for Wednesday night's game against the Lakers.
According to The Athletic's Jon Krawczynski, that's when Butler stepped in and chartered a private jet for the two of them. Jimmy ended up not being able to make the trip, but Jones took the flight himself and watched from the crowd as his Duke Blue Devils torched the No. 2 Kentucky Wildcats.
“That’s my guy,” Tyus said of Butler during an interview with ESPN in the first half of the game. “Very selfless. He was actually supposed to be here, but something came up. He told me to go anyways.”
Tre Jones, one of Duke's four star prospects, finished with six points and six assists while fellow freshmen Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett and Cam Reddish combined for 83 points. The four stars outscored the Wildcats by themselves, as the Blue Devils cruised to a 118-84 victory.
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