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Jimmy Butler has had a long-standing love affair with the Miami Heat. Butler has long been enamored with the atmosphere that the franchise provides and has been vocal about his admiration for Pat Riley.
Naturally, Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra believes that Butler was destined to play in South Beach.
Erik Spoelstra on Jimmy Butler, "He has Heat DNA. He was meant to play here.”
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) October 6, 2019
Rumors of a partnership between the two sides began to flare up when Butler was on record as saying that he appreciated the reverence with which the organization and fan base treated Dwyane Wade during his farewell tour. After a series of discussions, the Heat completed a sign-and-trade with the Philadelphia 76ers, sending shooting guard Josh Richardson to Philly as part of the deal.
Butler has had one of the most fascinating NBA journeys of any player in the league. He was kicked out of his home as a child before eventually landing at Marquette University as a walk-on player. The Chicago Bulls selected Butler with the 30th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, and he blossomed into an All-Star in his fourth season.
However, Butler's rise seemed to coincide with the success of the Bulls earlier this decade. He struggled just to keep the Bulls above .500, and he was unceremoniously dealt to the Minnesota Timberwolves on draft night in 2017. After one season in Minnesota, Butler was enveloped in an internal controversy with the Timberwolves in which he demanded to be traded.
The 30-year-old would eventually land with the Sixers, but his admiration for the City of Brotherly Love was not enough to keep him in town.
Butler will be the centerpiece of a Heat team hoping to return to the playoffs. Miami has been one of the most successful franchises of the decade, and they are banking on Butler's acquisition to possibly deliver another superstar heading into the next decade.
