After all that Jimmy Butler has accomplished individually and collectively in a Miami Heat uniform, it seems as if his tenure with the team is soon coming to an ugly end. He has been suspended for every one of the Heat’s last seven games and has reportedly indicated to the organization that he wants to be traded out of Miami.
Former Heat guard Dwyane Wade recently became the latest Miami great to comment on the unfortunate situation going on between the team and Butler. Wade expressed disappointment in how events have unfolded and also indicated that the whole debacle paints the franchise in a negative light.
“To give Jimmy credit, Jimmy came in when they were losing the face of their franchise and became the face of the franchise,” Wade said as he spoke out on the Butler situation. “That’s hard to do. He became the people that those guys want to buy his jersey, wear his jersey. The Heat was a soft landing spot for Jimmy and Jimmy was exactly the star that the Heat needed for six years – Finals, big moments that they’ve had together.
“It’s ending tragically, this is tragic. This is a tragic way to end a relationship. So as a former player, it’s ugly on our franchise, it’s a stain on our franchise that we continue to have the way that the relationships break up. But also, too, on the other side, you don’t run that organization as a player. So you get to that space sometimes where you want to do things your way. It’s Pat Riley’s way.”
Wade knows firsthand the history that the Heat have of not parting ways with their stars on the best of terms. Back in the summer of 2016, he signed with the Chicago Bulls after contract extension talks with the Heat broke down.
Wade joined the Bulls on a two-year deal worth around $47 million, while the Heat reportedly initially offered him less than half that number over two years. Wade is maybe the most accomplished player in Heat franchise history, too, as he’s the team’s all-time leading scorer by a huge margin and was on the roster for all three of Miami’s championships.
Granted, Wade still ended his NBA career playing for the Heat organization. In his final season in the league, he suited up in 72 games with Miami in the 2018-19 season and averaged 15.0 points per contest. Additionally, he received the seventh-most votes for the league’s Sixth Man of the Year award that season.
While all signs point to the end being near for Butler’s time with the Heat, he is still a member of the team and could return from his suspension when Miami plays the Denver Nuggets on Friday.
If Butler suits up against Denver, he will try to help the Heat win their first game since Jan. 11, when they beat the Portland Trail Blazers. Miami has lost its past two contests to the Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers.