The Miami Heat are slumping right now, having lost their last six games, and Jimmy Butler’s friend isn’t happy with how things have turned out for the team recently.
He went off on X (formerly Twitter), highlighting what he thinks is wrong with the Heat, such as misusing their stars and not betting big in the trade market.
I’m just curious if yall even watch the games?? THE PLAYS AND SETS AREN’T RAN FOR HIM!!!!! Is it not obvious?? Today they had no choice. Against Boston he was just sitting in the corner. Coaches try to get someone else going so bad that it messes up the whole team. https://t.co/9wsVv7uPVv
— ernnytheman (@ernnytheman) January 27, 2024
I think the problem is very obvious. It will never get fixed or addressed so it is what it is at this point.
— ernnytheman (@ernnytheman) January 27, 2024
Wouldn’t even make post season. I’m his friend and even I can accept and say that this team has over achieved like crazy the last 4 years. Not even I expected what has happened. Yet it was never enough to go all in.
— ernnytheman (@ernnytheman) January 27, 2024
I don’t think Herro is the problem on offense. I actually liked what he did today. Spot up and shoot more. Pick his spots. Maybe they get that Herro Terry rotation to work. Undersized but can play good together maybe. Also yes. They need a big bad. A good big too.
— ernnytheman (@ernnytheman) January 27, 2024
How can he disappear when they make it an emphasis to get him the ball every time. I just think the league has figured him out. They know a jumper is coming every time. You don’t have to respect it. You’ll live with it.
— ernnytheman (@ernnytheman) January 27, 2024
I’m clueless? If the minutes work why do they alternate subbing? When one is in the other is out besides starting the game? Why was one -7 and another -20 today? Don’t buy too much into all those numbers. The eye should always be the first thing you go off.
— ernnytheman (@ernnytheman) January 27, 2024
😂😂😩🤣🤣. Yes you’re right. He doesn’t touch it. Yet he’s second in usage on the team behind Tyler. Yet he’s second in FG attempts on the team behind Tyler. Yet he’s first in minutes on the team. You guys just say anything on this app. Stop hiding behind a fake account pussy https://t.co/3MCS3t7AWS
— ernnytheman (@ernnytheman) January 28, 2024
I think it’s too late. The kind of players they passed on to hold on to some picks and stuff is insane. If you’re not trading to get some of the top top talent in the league then you’re really just content. I also think overachieving played a role in this.
— ernnytheman (@ernnytheman) January 28, 2024
No I didn’t say that. I said they need a good big. As in a center. Someone that could start at the 5 and let Bam play at the 4 which is probably his natural position. Him at the 5 is tougher every season. Everyone gets bigger and bigger except Miami.
— ernnytheman (@ernnytheman) January 28, 2024
It seems one of the arguments of Butler’s friend is that Miami has to find more ways to get the star swingman involved on offense instead of making him stand around and wait for the ball to come to him.
The example he cited was the Heat’s 143-110 loss to the Boston Celtics on Thursday. That contest saw Butler attempt just 11 shots, making seven of them to finish with 17 points. On the other hand, three of his teammates had more attempts, including Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and Caleb Martin.
Butler’s friend also seemed to blast the front office for holding onto its picks instead of acquiring some of the top talents in the trade market in the past months. As people know, Miami had been linked to a few stars who found new homes elsewhere, such as Damian Lillard.
The organization did acquire Terry Rozier from the Charlotte Hornets recently, and it only had to give up Kyle Lowry and a 2027 first-round pick to get the deal done. However, the move hasn’t paid dividends yet, as the Heat are 0-3 since the trade.
In addition, several issues have hounded the squad, including defense and rebounding, which is probably why Butler’s friend wants the Heat to get a center and move Adebayo to the power forward slot.
Still, there seems to be enough time for Miami to halt its slide. While it’s easy to panic after watching the franchise fall to the No. 7 seed after briefly holding onto the fourth seed in early January, the Heat have shown an ability to turn it up in the postseason in the previous years.
Two seasons ago, they made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals before making a run to the Finals in the 2023 playoffs as the East’s No. 8 seed.
