Dec 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) drives the ball around Cleveland Cavaliers guard Max Strus (1) during the first half at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images
Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images
LA Clippers guard Max Strus opened up about his experience with Jimmy Butler during their time with the Miami Heat. For many, the Heat's Giannis Antetokounmpo trade marks a new era after the Butler years, following his 2025 trade to the Golden State Warriors. Jimmy led the Heat to two Finals appearances, where he shone despite his team coming up short 4-1 to the Denver Nuggets.
Strus says Butler is unlike any other teammate he's ever had, taking in the good with the bad, as he explained, per Barstool Sports' Pardon My Take.
“I don't think there's anything else like him,” Strus said. “From what I experienced and what I saw during that time, I've never seen anything like that in my life.”
Max Strus says Jimmy Butler's focus on the court for the Heat was not only what made him unique, but also his demeanor off of it.
“Oh, he'll drink a beer in the hot tub after,” Strus added. “He's just the most normal dude. He's an a****** for sure. He'll go and drink wine after the game. Drink a couple of beers and do it again the next day. He can get away from it so easily. Then when he has to turn it on, he can just flip a switch in the fourth quarter.”
When asked if Butler's approach is an acquired taste, Struss says that's one way to put it.
“It's kind of like that,” Strus replied. “But he's also like an a****** towards you. One day, you'll look at him, and he won't even acknowledge you. You can like go to dinner with him the night before, like you're his best friend. Then, the next morning, you go to practice, and he won't even look at you or say hi to you. And you're like, ‘Damn, what did I do at dinner last night?'
“Then the game starts, and he's your best friend again. You got to play the card like, yeah, Jimmy's gonna be Jimmy. I just got to a point where I didn't give a f*** anymore.”
Max Strus talking about what it’s like to be a teammate with Jimmy Butler including their secret handshake where they just dap and flip eachother off pic.twitter.com/wTtrtsCMAA
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) August 21, 2026
For Strus, the approach of not taking Butler's demeanor personally helped him understand his teammate and led to a handshake that ended with both flipping each other off as a fitting conclusion to their signature handshake.