ESPN’s Brian Windhorst had some interesting thoughts on Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler ahead of the 2024-25 NBA season.
Butler, 34, has yet to come to an agreement with the Heat on a long-term extension, but Windhorst thinks that could lead to him looking to prove himself in the 2024-25 campaign.
“Jimmy Butler, highly motivated to be a free agent, I think is a different animal,” Windhorst said.
Butler has a player option on his contract for the 2025-26 season, but he could opt out of his deal after the 2024-25 season to become an unrestricted free agent. Butler also could still sign an extension with the Heat.
Miami made the NBA Finals in the 2022-23 season with Butler leading the way, but it ended up losing to the Denver Nuggets in the Finals. The Heat didn’t have Tyler Herro for the majority of that playoff run, and injuries became an issue for them again last season.
“And, the Heat have had absolutely miserable health luck the last couple years,” Windhorst said.
Butler is a part of that awful health luck, as he injured his knee in the play-in tournament against the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2023-24 season and ended up missing Miami’s first-round playoff series with the Boston Celtics. Without Butler, Miami lost to Boston in just five games.
The Heat also dealt with injuries to key players like Terry Rozier and Herro in the 2023-24 season. Missing both of those key guards (Rozier also did not play in the playoffs) at times certainly limited Miami’s ceiling as a contender in the Eastern Conference.
Windhorst then shared why he is buying the Heat ahead of the 2024-25 season.
“I’m basically saying buy (the Heat) because Jimmy Butler is going to – I think – be highly motivated,” Windhorst said. “At times it seems like Jimmy looks for reasons not to play. And maybe that will be the prevailing situation, but I believe that Jimmy is going to be in killer mode to try to prove himself to the Heat and whoever else in the league.”
The Heat brought Butler to the franchise ahead of the 2019-20 season, and the six-time All-Star immediately led them to the NBA Finals in the NBA’s Orlando, Fla. bubble that season.
The Heat have gone to the Eastern Conference Finals three times and the NBA Finals twice in Butler’s time with the team (five seasons), so Heat fans know what he is capable of doing when at the top of his game.
With his future with the Heat a little up in the air, Butler may be motivated to prove that he deserves a long-term extension with the franchise. If he can lead the Heat on a deep playoff run again in the 2024-25 season, it may be enough to convince Pat Riley and the rest of the Heat front office to continue building around him for a few more years.
