In post-game comments on Thursday after the Miami Heat’s 128-115 loss to the Indiana Pacers, Heat star Jimmy Butler said that he wants his “joy back” playing the game, and that getting such joy back probably will not happen in Miami, despite him saying that he is happy in the city off the court.
The Heat organization responded to Butler’s comments by suspending him for seven games on Friday for conduct detrimental to the team, as ESPN’s Shams Charania revealed on X, with the NBPA then filing a grievance with the decision saying that the Heat’s stance was excessive.
Butler’s Heat career began in July of 2019 when he was acquired via sign-and-trade from the Philadelphia 76ers, who had lost in seven games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals to the Toronto Raptors just a couple of months earlier.
In Miami, Butler made his presence felt immediately, leading the Heat to a championship appearance in the 2020 bubble against the Los Angeles Lakers. Though the team lost in six games, Butler scored 40 points (14-for-20, 12-for-14) and had 13 assists and 11 rebounds in a 115-104 Game 3 win that the Heat went into down in the series 2-0. It was a type of career-defining a game for him, a performance and series for that matter that established him as someone who could put his team on his back.
Butler for the series averaged 26.2 points, 9.8 assists, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.2 steals. It was quite an impressive performance, pushing through fatigue and doing it all against a team that was clearly the better team. Three years later, despite struggling against the Denver Nuggets in a 2023 Finals' 4-1 loss (21.6 points, 42 percent), Butler was the primary reason that the Heat made a Finals’ run, scoring 56 and 42 points in consecutive games to extinguish the Milwaukee Bucks in Round 1. It is also important to note that both Finals’ runs were the product of Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra’s coaching brilliance.
Last season, the Heat won 46 games and lost to the eventual champion Boston Celtics 4-1 in the first round, a series Butler did not play in after injuring his MCL against the 76ers in the Heat’s play-in game. Despite hurting the knee in the game, Butler played 40 minutes.
In 22 games this season, Butler is averaging 17.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.7 assists on 55 percent shooting, though his 10.5 shot attempts are his lowest since 2013-14 (10.3).
Given his comments, Butler’s low shot attempts could very well be the result of disinterest. He has missed games from November 10-17 (ankle), and from December 21-28 this season (illness), and shot just 11 times and scored 18 points total in two games on January 1 and 2. Butler has still had some big performances this season, eclipsing 30 points three times including 35 points, 19 rebounds, and 10 assists on December 16 against the Detroit Pistons.
While Butler at times throughout his career has proven that he can carry, particularly in the 2020 Finals run and during the 2023 playoffs, his play style and talent level drips more of a try-hard, jack-of-all-trades type than franchise cornerstone.
Especially now at 35 years old (36 later this year), a complementary role would best suit him, and is probably the type of role that, in all honesty, has best suited him throughout his career. In Philadelphia, he was part of a by-committe approach with Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and Tobias Harris. JJ Redick was also on that roster, and it is a wonder how they did not advance further with the talent that they had. In Chicago, Butler, young and yet to unleash his talents, topped out at 23.9 points in 2016-17. He did not reach a 20 points per game average until 2014-15, which was his fourth season. In 2017-18 in Minnesota, he averaged 22.2 points in 59 games, and then 21.3 points in 10 games with the 'wolves the following year. Disenchantment led to his Timberwolves' exit.
In Phoenix, Butler could be the defensive complement to Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, serving as the intangible guy who will not take shots away from the two offensive superstars. With the Golden State Warriors, Butler could be the intangible guy alongside Stephen Curry and Buddy Hield and Draymond Green. No longer, in both situations, would he feel the pressure of delivering offensively or have the burden of carrying any type of load.
Butler would excel in both roles. Not only because of how his play style would adapt, but because as the second or third guy on a team, his leadership would not be a focal point as has been the case in Miami. In Minnesota prior to becoming a 76er, Butler reportedly clashed with Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins. Such things would not be an issue in a new situation, as being a complementary player he would be the one to acquiesce and fit in.
Taking back Bradley Beal and his mammoth salary ($53.7 million next season, $57.1 million the year after that) would be a necessity (Butler is making $48.8 million this season and has a $52.4 million player option for next season) for Pat Riley if the Heat were to strike a deal with the Suns, something you wonder if the Heat president would be willing to do. A Warrior package including Wiggins would be more attractive.
Wiggins is making $26.3 million this season and $28.2 million next season before a 2026-27 player option. He also turns 30 next month, while Beal turns 32 in June and has more injury history. The Houston Rockets have been a team that also be talked about with Butler, but the thought of breaking up some of your young talent for (maybe) a short-term turnaround does not seem that enticing. The Dallas Mavericks have been linked, too, which is a situation where again Butler could plug in as a complementary piece that can play strong defense and give you another option in the clutch alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Jason Kidd’s no-nonsense approach, like Spoelstra and a former head coach of Butler's, Tom Thibodeau, would be a positive.
Regardless of where he ends up, the relationship between Butler and the Heat that began with a honeymoon championship final run is ending in a nasty divorce. The soon to be 36-year-old Butler wants his joy back, and will likely get it as part of a new Big 3 or collection of all-stars.
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