A tight schedule didn’t stop Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler from showing major love and support to Los Angeles Lakers legend Pau Gasol, whose jersey was retired in L.A. on Tuesday.
After leading the Heat to a win on Monday in Miami, Butler flew to L.A. for Gasol’s jersey retirement. He took in the ceremony on Tuesday and is now presumably back in Miami as he prepares to face the Cleveland Cavaliers in a few hours.
Jimmy Butler …
— leads Heat to win Monday night
— flies 5 hours to Los Angeles postgame
— is there for Pau Gasol tonight
— scheduled to land back in Miami Wednesday morning
— is expected to play Wednesday night— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) March 8, 2023
Butler shared a heartwarming post to Instagram in honor of Gasol.
View this post on Instagram
Gasol’s ceremony was a special one, and his No. 16 jersey will now forever be displayed in L.A.’s arena.
Pau is officially immortalized in LA. pic.twitter.com/7cLVdSb8l7
— Lakers Daily (@LakersDailyCom) March 8, 2023
Butler and Gasol were teammates several seasons back on the Chicago Bulls, and it’s great to see that they’ve remained close over the years.
Gasol put together an impressive career during his time in the league. He earned six All-Star selections and two NBA titles, both of which came with the Lakers. The 7-footer finished his career with averages of 17.0 points, 9.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists per contest.
Butler, meanwhile, still seems to have several good years left in the NBA. The veteran is averaging 21.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game this season for a Heat team that is trying its best to earn a playoff bid.
His legacy with the Heat isn’t on the same level as Gasol’s with the Lakers, but the 33-year-old has certainly been the face of Miami’s franchise in recent years. If he were to guide the team to a championship, he’d undoubtedly be regarded as a Heat legend until the end of time.
Unfortunately, there are no guarantees that that’s going to happen. Miami has struggled to surround Butler and fellow star Bam Adebayo with the right pieces, making it tough for the team to get over the hump.
But it’s a safe bet that Butler is going to do everything in his power to overcome that obstacle, and time will tell if he’s successful. Just this week, his commitment to the game of basketball has been on full display with his decision to sandwich a pair of games around a trip to L.A. for his former teammate.
Butler and the Heat will look to earn a win over the Cavs on Wednesday in their search for a third straight victory.
