Bulls' Butler calls himself, Wade and Rondo 'the 3 Alphas'

Jimmy Butler is the Chicago Bulls' unquestioned franchise player, something that new guards Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo were quick to publicly proclaim upon their arrivals to the team.

Yet Butler said he was and is prepared to sacrifice, particularly with Wade.

"I said look man, I'm okay with whatever role you want me to play," Butler told CSN's Vincent Goodwill about talking to Wade before the 13-year veteran shocked the NBA world by signing in Chicago. "I don't care what role I'm supposed to play, whose team it is, you come here, we'll win games."

For his part, Wade stressed Friday that the Bulls are "Jimmy Butler's team."

Butler called the trio of himself, Wade and Rondo "the three Alphas", and admitted he will lean heavily on their combined experience that has produced four NBA titles.

"That's why I wanted him here, that's why I wanted Rondo here," Butler told Goodwill. "Because they've done it, they know what it takes. I want them to show me. If I'm not listening, make me listen."

The signings of Wade and Rondo effectively push Butler out of the two-guard spot and into the three. There are also efficiency concerns with a Rondo-Wade backcourt, and the fact that the three players are combined 30 percent career 3-point shooters.

Butler cannot be accused of not being a hard worker though, and he said he'll do whatever it takes to raise his game (for the record, Butler is the best deep threat out of the three, with a 32.8 career mark from downtown).

"Moving forward, I'm gonna do my best, whatever it takes to help us win games," he said. "I don't think people understand how serious I am when I say I want to ... win a championship. I'm not playing."