In our Three Goals series, we’ll look to the future for each Miami Heat player, forecasting what their top goals should be for the coming season. Next up is Jimmy Butler.
On July 6th, 2019, Heat Nation collectively sighed in relief. After all the back and forth, the four-team trade between the Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, Portland Trail Blazers and LA Clippers that sent Jimmy Butler to the Heat upon his request had been consummated. The four-year, $140.7 million contract he signed made him the highest-paid player on the Heat roster.
By the time the smoke cleared, the Heat got Butler and Meyers Leonard, the Sixers got Josh Richardson and the cap space to sign Al Horford, the Blazers got Hassan Whiteside, and the Clippers got Maurice Harkless and one of the first-round draft picks used to trade for Paul George to pair with Kawhi Leonard.
On the court, Butler is known around the league as a hustle player who can get buckets with the best of them while maintaining the title of an elite defender. Off the court, he’s known as an enigma that if not dealt with properly could become flammable or more given the situation.
The beautiful thing about Heat Culture is that no one is above reproach. That means front office members, coaching staff, and most importantly, players. Butler knows he has some things to improve on the micro level, but here we’re going to zoom out a bit and set some goals for him on a larger scale.