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The Jimmy Butler Era is over
Back in 2019 the Miami Heat were involved in a four-team trade that involved the Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Clippers, and the Portland Trail Blazers. Hassan Whiteside joined the Blazers, Josh Richardson joined the Sixers, Maurice Harkless and a future first-round pick joined the Clippers, and Myers Leonard would join the Heat. On the first day of free agency Jimmy Butler made it clear he wanted to join the Heat and would sign a four-year $142 million deal.
The very next year in 2020 Butler would lead the Heat in the bubble at the Walt Disney World Resort due to COVID-19 to the NBA Finals. Miami would fall to the Los Angeles Lakers in six games with Butler giving it his all barely being able to walk after the series. In the bubble he would create would be today the Big Face Coffee Brand now with its stand alone shop in the Miami Design District. Miami fans grew to love Jimmy and consider him a Heat lifer.
What will go down in Heat history will be the 2023 playoff run which in big part was dubbed "Playoff Jimmy" because of his performance. The Heat as an #8 seed took out the Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, and Boston Celtics making their way to the NBA Finals against the Denver Nuggets. The Heat would fall in five games with Butler banged up the entirety of the Finals.
The following season the Miami Heat would be eliminated by the Boston Celtics in the first round with Butler missing the series due to injury. After the series, Pat Riley stated that Butler should shut his mouth and focus on basketball. In that same press conference he stated that they would not give Butler an extension as they needed Jimmy to play more in the regular season. Butler took exception to that as well as Miami not putting pieces around him to help him win.
This takes us to the current state of affairs where after a loss to the Indiana Pacers in a press conference Butler stated that he would probably not find his joy of playing basketball for the Heat again. Fans questioned his effort on the court as well as it seemed like he was not trying and isolated from his teammates. The Heat would go ahead and suspend Butler seven games for his actions and made a public statement understanding that Butler has made it clear that he does not want to be part of the team anymore and will find a potential suitor to trade him to. If they do not find a team by the team the suspension is up the Heat have made it clear they will bring him back on the court.
Written by: Daniel Torres
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