The Miami Heat were a surprise participant in Day 1 of the free agent frenzy, and they definitely made a splash. A fair amount of people believed that this was going to be a quiet summer for Heat team president Pat Riley and his organization, but lo and behold, Miami just keeps on keeping on as they somehow landed one of the hottest free agent prospects in Jimmy Butler.
To make it explicitly clear, the Heat did not sign Butler as a free agent. Instead, they executed a sign-and-trade deal with Butler's former team, the Philadelphia 76ers, and also brought the Los Angeles Clippers and the Portland Trail Blazers on board to complete this four-team deal — which is actually even more impressive.
This is indeed another amazing coup for the Heat, especially considering how Butler was reportedly offered a max deal by the Sixers in an attempt to make him stay in Philly. Riley and company must have delivered one hell of a recruitment pitch to Butler for him to turn down such a lucrative offer.
This is certainly a huge signing for the Heat, and one that will have a tremendous impact on their franchise moving forward.
First off, this is Riley saying that Miami has no interest in tanking. Many considered this to be a prudent path for the Heat to take, given how the pieces have fallen in to place. Well, this just isn't their style, and instead of spending a year or two in tanking purgatory, the Heat would prefer to maintain their perpetual relevance in the league.
In Butler, Miami have acquired a bona fide superstar in his prime. As a matter of fact, the 29-year-old definitely fits the bill as the Heat's new face of the franchise. The former Most Improved Player of the Year is a do-it-all type of star that is highly-effective on both ends of the floor. Sure, he may have had his moment of madness in his soap opera-like divorce with the Minnesota Timberwolves last season, but his outstanding play with the Sixers soon afterwards did well to somehow provide him with some much needed redemption.
With Dwyane Wade now out of the picture, the Heat needed a new star, and they definitely found one in Butler. At the end of the day, the addition of Butler does not make Miami a championship contender. As a matter of fact, with how the Easten Conference is shaping up right now, a sixth- or seventh-seed finish is probably a best-case scenario for the team next year. Nevertheless, this is still an upgrade for Miami considering how they missed the playoffs completely last season.
What's important is that the Heat continue to be relevant in the league, and the acquisition of Butler can definitely serve as an important first step towards the team's rebuild. Miami's salary cap situation will improve within the next few years, so it would not be surprising if another superstar (or two?) follows Jimmy to South Beach a season or two from now.
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