For most NBA stars, a jersey number is more than a digit. It is part of their identity, carried from high school to college and into the league. Jimmy Butler has never looked at it that way. Every stop in his career has brought a new number, making change almost routine. But when the Golden State Warriors rookie Lajae Jones wanted No. 10 after arriving as the 54th pick in the 2026 draft, Butler had one condition, and it came with a hefty price.

The 36-year-old shared an exchange with Florida State’s star. During this interaction, Jones said he wanted to wear Jimmy’s number on his jersey. “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 told the rookie with a cheeky smile on his face.

Butler has never been one to miss a business opportunity. Just ask anyone who remembers his famous NBA bubble hustle. In 2020, Butler was offering a small cup of latte, cappuccino, macchiato, and more for $20 inside the NBA’s Walt Disney World bubble. “You can’t get coffee nowhere here,” Butler said in the interview. “So I might bump it up to 30 bucks a cup. People here can afford it.”

Meanwhile, the No. 10 holds a very special place for Jimmy Butler. When he moved from the Miami Heat to the Golden State Warriors during the February 2025 trade deadline, he decided not to continue with the No. 22. Instead, he chose 10. Well, no one truly knows why Butler chose the number; speculations said that he wanted to honor his close friend, the Brazilian soccer sensation Neymar Jr.

And while Neymar Jr. returned to his national team to play at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after 981 days of injury and recovery, Jimmy has yet to return to the Warriors squad. He suffered a complete ACL tear in his right knee earlier in January this year against the Miami Heat. In this situation, someone has to fill the gap he has left behind.

Can Lajae Jones fill the Jimmy Butler void for the Warriors?

Lajae Jones brings promise, but expecting him to step into Jimmy Butler’s shoes right away would be asking far too much. Butler powered Golden State with 20.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 51.9% shooting in 2025-26. His influence stretched even further. The Warriors posted a 120.8 offensive rating with him compared to 117.4 without him, while their defensive rating improved from 117.5 to 113.4. Their record also jumped to 23-15 with Butler, compared to 8-13 without him.

Meanwhile, Jones offers a different package. The Florida State product averaged 12.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.2 steals, 1.0 blocks, shot 42.7% from the field, and 32.5% from deep. Moreover, he caught fire over his final 14 games, averaging 15.5 points while hitting 35.7% from beyond the arc. That makes him a valuable rotational option with size, defense, and rebounding.

However, Jimmy Butler’s playmaking, shot creation, and ability to control games remain far beyond what Lajae Jones is ready to provide. And well, there is no world in which the rookie can wear Jimmy’s number. Unless the said $25 million is on the table!