Miami Heat president Pat Riley and head coach Erik Spoelstra have been enamored with Jimmy Butler over the past few years, which is why both men jumped for joy when Butler decided to sign with the Heat in free agency this past summer.
Butler signed a four-year max contract with Miami as part of a sign-and-trade deal with the Philadelphia 76ers. Spoelstra, who has coached LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and now Butler, says there's a reason the Heat “backed up the Brink's truck” to get Butler in South Beach:
“There's a reason why we chased him so hard, and backed up the Brink's truck to get a max player,” Erik Spoelstra said, via ESPN. “That was the idea: to have a guy that we believe can take us to a different level.
“That's what he's doing right now.”
The Heat, led by Jimmy Butler, are 27-12 on the season. They are in the third spot in the Eastern Conference standings.
All signs point toward Butler leading Miami back to the playoffs after they missed it last season.
Butler is averaging 20.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 6.5 assists this season. He’s shooting 44.7 percent from the field, 26.4 percent from beyond the arc and 82.8 percent from the free-throw line.
The Heat have their new franchise player in the post-Dwyane Wade era and Butler is finally playing for a team and organization which fits him.
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