Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat are poised to make some noise this season in the NBA’s Eastern Conference. Here’s a bold prediction for the swingman.
The Miami Heat have made a few adjustments as they head into this upcoming season. They lost a few pieces, some more memorable than others, while also adding a few pieces to their puzzle.
They added a star player who can be the guy, taking and creating the big shots in closing and/or crucial moments, in Jimmy Butler. They also added another big man to help compensate for the absence of Hassan Whiteside in Meyers Leonard, who also brings with him the ability to shoot it from distance, which is something else that the Miami Heat needed to improve during this offseason.
They also look to have found a few gems in younger guys, their own 2019 draft pick and a few guys that were already in their developmental system in Tyler Herro, Kendrick Nunn, and Duncan Robinson. Here though, let’s focus on Jimmy Butler.
What does Jimmy Butler really bring to the Heat? As mentioned, he brings with him the ability to be the main guy. Not only is he a premiere two way player in the league, embodying everything that Heat Culture means, but he is also willing and able to be the leader in all other aspects.
He is a guy that not only leads by his example on the court during games, but based on all we have seen and heard throughout his career, he is a guy that leads by example in practice, work out sessions, and everything else outside of actual games. With that in mind though, what is one bold prediction for the swingman for this upcoming season?
Jimmy Butler will lead this Miami Heat team to a top-four seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs
That’s right, you heard it here first. Not only does this team have the goods to compete with the top of the conference, but they have what it takes to be among those teams in the top part of the East.
When looking at the conference, the only homerun teams at the moment would be Milwaukee and Philadelphia. The Bucks lost pieces, but with one of the best players in the entire world on their squad in Giannis Antetokounmpo, it’s safe to say that they shouldn’t fall any further than three in the conference. Philadelphia lost Jimmy Butler and J.J. Redick, which will hurt them, but they brought in Al Horford while also re-signing Tobias Harris.
Along with the new money Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, that should be enough to keep them from falling below the third seed in the conference as well. That leaves Boston, Toronto, Indiana, Brooklyn, Orlando, and Detroit from last season’s playoffs.
For those teams, some lost players to free agency, such as the Raptors or to injury for a while like the Brooklyn Nets and the Pacers. Others like Boston will have to readdress and reacclimate themselves as far as chemistry goes, considering their newer additions. As far as the others, such as Detroit and Orlando, they don’t have singular players that are better than Jimmy Butler, thus meaning their teams shouldn’t be as good as the Heat being that the same Heat team sans Butler competed blow for blow with them on last season.
While some will see this and laugh it off as if that will make it any less true or the possible reality, this is not only a bold prediction but a likely situation based on the surrounding factors. Regardless, that is the prediction, Jimmy Butler will lead this Miami Heat team to a top seed during this upcoming season.