Bulls News & Rumors: Jimmy Butler Insists He's in Good Terms with Teammate Derrick Rose

Chicago Bulls prized shooting guard Jimmy Butler emphasized that there is no tension occurring with his backcourt partner Derrick Rose.

Butler said that Rose has alwayse been supportive of his aggressive playing style, especially on offense, saying that the latter has always been on his side and that there's no beef between them.

CBS Chicago claimed that there was tension between the two after Butler surpassed Rose as the team's main scorer.

But Rose, an All-Star and the league's Most Improved Player awardee, insists that their focus is merely on winning.

Butler averaged 20 points a game, which is a team high for the Bulls.

Rose, an ex-MVP, returned from two injury plagued seasons to average 17.7 points in 51 games.

Butler said that some groups just made up a story about an imaginary feud since the Bulls ended the season in a sour note--giving up a 2-1 series lead to lose to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round of the playoffs.

The 26-year-old Butler acknowledged there were teammates he didn't get along with but didn't identify them.

While Butler admitted he didn't hang out with Rose in their free time, he didn't think there was a problem with that considering that Rose has a family and he's got his own guys he hang arounds with.

He added that the players spend so much time around each other while traveling, practicing,studying film and playing that everybody goes their seprate ways off the floor.

In the coming season, Butler believes he needs to take a bigger leadership role after stepping in and making a name for himself in the NBA. he wants to be that guy that others can count on night in and night out, not only in the basketball court but also as a leader.