The Jimmy Butler era in the Miami Heat is bound for a bitter end.
After all of the trade rumblings and speculations for the past couple of weeks between them, the Heat finally had enough of the outside noise as they eventually suspended Butler for multiple conducts detrimental to the team. Right now, Miami simply has one thing in mind and that is to cut their ties with the embattled franchise star as soon as possible.
Tired of each other
Don’t let this current drama distract you from the fact that Butler and the Heat had enjoyed a fruitful, overachieving partnership throughout their five-year leg.
As it is, Butler and Miami rode through highs and lows and managed to deliver unforgettable moments. They made it to two improbable NBA Finals runs in 2020 and 2023, and boldly lived up to their ‘Heat Culture’ mantra.
Yet despite the success they attained for all these years, both sides are apparently disgruntled with each other according to Draymond Green.
“I think they definitely are at the end of the road. I’ve actually been hearing for the last couple years that they were kind of tired of Jimmy, and Jimmy was kind of tired of them. I think Jimmy was kind of a little more so enjoying just living in Miami,” the Golden State Warriors star confessed in the recent episode of his Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis.
“I’m not one of those media people that make up stories. I’m not saying enjoying living in Miami like Jimmy’s a party [animal]. Jimmy don’t go out. So I’m not saying that. Living in Miami is a beautiful thing, so I think he just enjoyed more so his life and what comes with him being the face of the Miami Heat.”
As harmonious as they might have been together, Butler and the Heat simply have shortcomings of their own.
Despite carrying the Heat on his back for most of the time, especially come postseason moments, Butler is often being criticized for his injury issues and frequent regular season inactivity. Since joining the Heat in 2019, he didn’t manage to play over 65 games in each of the seasons that ensued.
And as for the Heat, the notion of them overachieving under the Butler era is simply a subtle jab to Pat Riley and the rest of the organization’s leadership. It’s been generally perceived that Miami failed to surround Butler the best possible pieces he needed to finally get them over the hunt while several of their Conference rivals such as the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, Philadelphia 76ers, and the New York Knicks have embraced massive retooling and star power acquisitions for greater championship odds.
“Jimmy is a very serious guy, takes his craft very serious, works his a— off. So I don’t want this to come off the wrong way. I just think he had a good thing where he’s going to NBA Finals, he’s the man in Miami. And I think all of those things made what he was going through bearable,” Green added.
“I think you start to get to that point where Jimmy, as competitive as they come, wants to win a championship.”
No more reunion
For now, it remains to be seen on what would be the next to come between Butler and the Heat.
At first, Butler indicated his four preferred destinations. But after his conflict with the Heat reached the boiling point, he is now determined to play anywhere.
No one knows the next thing that may unfold considering Butler’s complicated desires and the number of teams that are truly interested to acquire him. As such, Green is convinced that there are only two possible scenarios that are on the table.
“I can see two things happening. I can see Pat Riley sending Jimmy Butler to a team, an organization that he absolutely hate, that’s garbage,” he said.
“I could also see Pat Riley saying, hey, go home for the rest of your just go home. We’ll pay you. It’s fine. Go home. We’re not trading you anywhere. And I could see that scenario as well.
And amid reports that Butler could return to play for the Heat despite all of what happened, Green dismissed the possibility of a reunion.
“I don’t see that. I think it’s too far gone,” Green argued. “When stuff starts getting to the media, when stuff starts getting public, it’s no longer easy to control. It is completely taken over by public opinion.
“I think they reached the end of the road.”
