Subscribe
Follow Us
As the Miami Heat have traded away Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors, the chapter has officially closed on what was a highly successful partnership, one that ended in less than ideal terms. With Heat players reacting after the Butler trade, the last few months for the disgruntled star were tense, including the time when Erik Spoelstra told him and the team he wouldn't start last month.
On Jan. 27 before Miami hosted the Orlando Magic, Butler was involved in shootaround coming off his second suspension where he was expected to play. Spoelstra would tell the team without Butler knowing beforehand that he would go to the bench in favor of Haywood Highsmith, a move that the star thought the head coach was “joking” according to The Athletic.
“When Butler returned to the team for shootaround on the morning of Jan. 27 before the Heat hosted the Orlando Magic, he took part in approximately half the practice session before Spoelstra gathered the team at center court to discuss the team’s new starting lineup,” The Athletic wrote. “Butler, Spoelstra announced, would be coming off the bench and the starting small forward spot would go to Haywood Highsmith, a fifth-year player who found a role after spending two seasons out of the NBA entirely.”
“Initially, Butler thought Spoelstra was joking, sources close to the player said,” The Athletic continued. “The head coach did not alert him to the change before telling the team, which is common practice with a move so significant.”
A look at Jimmy Butler's third suspension with Heat
After being told he would not start, the 35-year-old would leave the court which resulted in Butler's third suspension with the Heat, this time being indefinite with a minimum of five games which lasted until the trade deadline. The decision to not start him felt like it was “meant to provoke him” per The Athletic.
“Butler left the court without shooting free throws, customary for Heat players after shootaround, and felt like the decision to not start him was “meant to provoke him,” the Athletic wrote.
“Spoelstra did not offer Butler an explanation for the change, and Butler was informed about three hours later that he was being suspended again,” The Athletic continued. “When the Heat announced the suspension on their official X account, the explanation for his punishment included a reference to him ‘walking out of practice earlier today.'”
The Heat would beat the Orlando Magic in a double-overtime thriller led by Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo each having an impeccable game. However, the thought of everybody outside the team was still on Butler and what a possible finality would look like.
“If anything, that was just the latest example of the Heat learning to live life without Butler ahead of his desired departure. Much of the situation was beyond the control of anyone outside of Miami’s upper management,” The Athletic wrote. “In either case, his Heat teammates and coaches were accustomed to navigating NBA waters with him on the sideline as Riley, Arison, and the Heat front office assessed how to end one of the most successful chapters in franchise history.”
At any rate, it's over as Butler is with Golden State, and the Heat have a season to play, facing the Brooklyn Nets on Friday.
