Golden State Warriors rookie Lajae Jones walked into the NBA with a simple idea. He wore number 10 at Florida State. Jimmy Butler wears number 10 for the Warriors. So Jones asked politely if Butler might consider switching.
The response was not polite. It was hilarious and also brutal.
Butler looked at the second-round pick and laid out the price. “You want to buy my number? You can’t afford that. Zero shot. Just wear number like 01 and say that it’s your number backwards. For $25 million, you can have my number then,” Butler said with a grin, via Warriors Talk on Instagram.
Jones was taken with the 54th overall pick in the draft. He does not have a guaranteed contract. He has not cashed a single NBA paycheck. Asking him for $25 million is like asking a barista to buy a franchise. It’s not happening.
The whole conversation started because the Warriors are in a weird place. They finished the 2025-26 season with 37 wins. That got them a play-in spot and then an early vacation. Butler missed significant time with an ACL injury and the team never found its footing. So the roster is going to look different next season. The question is whether Butler is part of that future or part of the reason they need to change.
But in the locker room, he’s still the veteran who sets the tone. And part of that tone is making sure rookies understand the pecking order.
This isn’t uncommon. The same week, AJ Dybantsa got drafted first overall by the Washington Wizards and immediately switched from number 3 to number 4 because Trae Young already wears 3. That’s how it works. The established star keeps his digits. The rookie adjusts.
Butler’s number is safe unless the Warriors move him in a trade. If they decide to rebuild around younger pieces, that number could become available. And maybe then Jones could negotiate a reasonable price. But $25 million? That’s Butler’s way of saying the conversation is over before it started.
For now, Jones will pick something else. Number 01, maybe. Butler gave him that idea for free.
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