After bouncing around the NBA over the last few years, Jimmy Butler has finally found the right fit with the Miami Heat. Butler is now headed for his first NBA Finals appearance as the undisputed leader of a team thriving in the underdog role.
Butler is playing for his fourth team in the league since being drafted out of the University of Marquette in 2011 by the Chicago Bulls. Although he had some success in Chicago, stints with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Philadelphia 76ers didn’t go as planned, and Udonis Haslem had something to say about that.
Butler famously pushed his way out of Minnesota after a falling out with some of his teammates. Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns weren’t cutting it for Butler, ultimately leading to the team trading him to the 76ers.
The 76ers were a better fit for Butler as they were a playoff-ready team with two stars leading the way in Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. Philadelphia made it to the second round of the playoffs last year with Butler in the mix but fell short against the Toronto Raptors with Kawhi Leonard hitting a game-winning 3-pointer with time expiring in Game 7.
Following a disappointing end to the playoff run for the 76ers, Butler’s future was uncertain with a lot of speculation swirling about where he’d end up next. The Heat then swooped up and pulled off a sign-and-trade deal for Butler.
Now he leads a team that could win an NBA title if able to get the best of LeBron James’ Los Angeles Lakers and may have a bright future with Miami for years to come.