The sun has officially set on the Jimmy Butler era in Miami.
Traded to the Miami Heat in the summer of 2019, Butler had graced Heat nation and their diehard fans with a fresh wave of basketball. The Heat had not seen play-off contention since the Lebron, Bosh, D’Wade era, and had fallen into NBA Purgatory.
Essentially, there were no play-offs, historical runs, and NBA championships in sight. They were regulated off of ESPN and TNT television, and while Kaseya Center once lit up for their star players, it became a ghost town.
Miami, despite all its sweltering heat, had gone cold, and that same fate befell a franchise that spent the beginning half the decade dominating both the East and West. Hence, the Butler Era.
When Butler came to Miami, it seemed as if “Heat Culture” was restored. Suddenly, fans had a reason to watch and come to games. Butler was electric. Watching him dominate both ends of the court, despite being a second or third option, had been thrilling. The Heat was back in Miami, and it had been hot.
Two epic playoff runs that culminated in two final runs for the Heat, all led by Butler, was must-see TV. Butler had led two mediocre Miami teams, both that lacked defense, star players, and role players… He had brought them and himself to the cusp of the greatest honor a player and organization could ever receive… a championship ring.
So, where did it all go wrong?
Well, let’s start at the very top of every problem for nearly any person…money.
After taking the Miami Heat to finals twice in four years, Butler wanted, no, demanded to get paid. He declined his $52 million player option in hopes of receiving a max-extension from the organization, roughly $200 million dollars for 3 to 4 years. Butler believed he deserved his bag, and that the Miami Heat owed him that.
Pat Riley, leader of the Miami Heat organization, thought very differently.
Riley was known for letting aged players walk away from the organization. He was old school and believed the second you eclipsed your prime, you needed to be cut from the team, not rewarded for past behavior.
Butler is 35 going on 36, past his prime, but during the play-offs, turned into a beast. He was dubbed “Play-off Jimmy,” but even then, Riley did not care. Sure, Butler took his team to the finals, but did they win a ring? No. Was Jimmy Butler getting any younger? Absolutely Not. So why give $200 million a year?
The contention with the Heat and Butler only flared due to Butler’s on court and in court antics.
Jimmy would go on press tours and subtly mock his teammates. He would request a trade out of Miami to press, saying he wanted to “get his joy back” playing basketball. He looked dejected and sat out of team huddles. He would also wear an opposing team’s shoe color to show his loyalty did not lie with the Heat, but rather any other organization that was not them.
So, on the night the trade deadline hit, Riley shipped off Butler and two of his other teams in a trade package that means Butler won’t be retiring his jersey with the organization. Still it might be worth tuning in to see what kind of Heat is in store when Butler enters Kaseya Center representing Golden State.
