In the wake of the drama that surrounds Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat, Stephen A. Smith is convinced that the embattled star has the right to be upset about his current situation within the franchise.
In the latest segment of his Stephen A. Smith Show, the renowned ESPN personality argued that Butler desires a breakup simply because of the lack of competitive nature within the Heat, who currently sits at the No. 6 spot in the East with a 17-16 record.
“Jimmy Butler wants out and I’m here to tell you, I can’t blame him,” Smith said. “ … Nobody has them in the championship equation and when you listen to Jimmy Butler, what essentially he’s saying is that we’re not very good and we’re not going to compete for a championship. We’re likely not better than the Milwaukee Bucks, probably not better than the New York Knicks, definitely ain’t better than the Cleveland Cavaliers, and damn sure ain’t better than the reigning defending NBA champions Boston Celtics.
“In other words, we have no chance at this particular juncture with the team that we presently have assembled.”
Butler remains away from the Heat after he was recently suspended by the franchise for seven consecutive games amid the recent rapid turn of events between them. It has been reported that the 35-year-old stands eager to get traded in which Miami is now compelled to do so.
There’s been a general belief that Butler is infuriated for failing to obtain a two-year, max extension from the Heat worth $113 million dating back from the past offseason. This serves as the root cause of the current heated saga for both sides and the roaring outside noise across the Association.
While the All-Star forward’s passiveness and shenanigans must be called out upon the recent happenings, Smith believes that Heat president Pat Riley deserves blame for failing to provide Butler the best supporting cast he needs in the first place.
“If you are the Miami Heat, you can be a bit salty for how Jimmy Butler has chosen to handle this and we would all understand that. But respectfully, how wrong is he? We hadn’t heard anything from Jimmy Butler up to this point,” Smith said.
“And when we look at Pat Riley — a person I’ve known for years. The great Pat Riley who is the ‘Winner Within’ — who’s been a champion on every level as a player, as a coach, as a president of basketball operations. This man knows how to win and he knows how to build a culture, structure, and order for an organization. He’s a leader and there’s no question about it. But when it comes to Jimmy Butler or Jimmy Butler era in Miami, one could ask, what have you done for him?”
By looking at what they achieved and constructed over the last five seasons, the Heat relatively overachieved under Butler’s leadership
Beyond Butler, Miami mainly invested in both Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro. And throughout the said span, the franchise’s notable acquisition only was in 2021 when they landed free-agent guard Kyle Lowry via a sign-and-trade pact. From the likes of Gabe Vincent, Max Strus, and Caleb Martin, the Heat have banked toward the intriguing development of several undrafted, G League talents.
Yet despite this, the Heat managed to reach great heights. Led by Butler, they made it to two improbable NBA Finals runs in both 2020 and 2023 in which they only came up short of winning it all.
“Jimmy Butler has been the one that got you to two NBA Finals in a four to five-year period and what he has been clamoring for over the last three summers or so? Help. Now if you’re the Miami Heat, you had an opportunity to get Kevin Durant, it didn’t work out. You had an opportunity to get Damian Lillard, it didn’t work out.
“It leaves the question what help has Jimmy Butler gotten? The answer is minimal. And because of that, that’s why he’s probably said enough.”
The Heat certainly enjoyed a heck of a ride with Butler at the front. And as they are now on the cusp of a bitter divorce with their franchise star, they can only look forward to contending again at the highest level outside of Butler’s shadows.
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