Pippen: Jimmy Butler wasn't a good leader with Bulls
Yet another former NBA player is questioning Jimmy Butler's leadership with the Chicago Bulls.
After the Bulls traded away their best player to the Minnesota Timberwolves, retired hooper Antoine Walker called Butler a "young-guy killer" and a "bad locker room guy," citing outbursts directed at coaches and teammates.
Bulls legend Scottie Pippen joined in the chorus Thursday, indicating that Butler didn't act the way a franchise player should.
"I don't think he handled it right from a leadership standpoint of what it takes to be a superstar," the Hall of Famer said on ESPN's "The Jump."
Asked to elaborate, Pippen said, "Well, it's just a lot of locker room talk that Jimmy was disrespecting the head coach, disrespecting the assistant coach. Just wasn't showing the type of leadership that you'd expect from your best player."
Related: Butler says being face of Bulls 'doesn't mean a damn thing'
Pippen did say he feels good about Butler going to Minny, where he'll reunite with coach Tom Thibodeau and hopefully get back on track.
Possible behind-the-scenes discord aside, Butler is coming off a career year in which he got his first All-Star start and All-NBA nod. The 2015 MIP recorded 23.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.9 steals per game and carried Chicago to the playoffs.
He also gave out his personal phone number at Thursday's introductory press conference and instructed haters to call him.
Give him a ring, Pip.