The Miami Heat are returning a playoff caliber team that is thirsty for success, giving its fan base a reason to tune in on a nightly basis.
In the last seven days, the Miami Heat have gone from frontrunners in the Jimmy Butler acquisition process, to being ghosted like the two unmatched on Tinder.
Butler expressed his fondness for Miami in no uncertain terms.
Though the details of it were clouded behind the angry steam being generated by one Tom Thibodeau, a mixture of organizational respect, a friendship with Dwyane Wade, and the chance to rise though the weakened Eastern Conference, likely sent the Heat to the top of Butler’s shortlist.
Despite his preference however, silence has been the recent theme, with the Minnesota Timberwolves seeming to be dragging its paws on fleshing out a deal.
It’s not that there isn’t one available, rather that the asking price far exceeds Miami’s interest.
For now, Butler is more likely to start the season in Minnesota, malcontent as he sits on the bench somewhere between Luol Deng and Derrick Rose (and nowhere near Karl-Anthony Towns). He can weaponize his ailing hand as a reason not to play for the NBA’s northernmost team, going through the motions until he gets traded or opts out of his contract, whichever comes first.
However, even if Miami misses out on acquiring Butler this season, the team still has its trademarked brand of heart and hustle to look forward to.
The gentleman’s sweep Miami suffered in the playoffs is long gone.
Since April 25, the team’s collective focus shifted onto the future, leaving behind complaints of injuries and effort that shadowboxed with the team all season long.
With Miami’s first preseason game just hours away, there are a bundle of reasons to be excited for this new year, and they manifest themselves up and down the roster.