Jimmy Butler’s departure ended a nearly six-season partnership with the organization that will go down as one of the most successful eras of Miami Heat basketball. So maybe it shouldn't be a surprise that trading Butler out of South Florida has led to one of the franchise’s darkest times ever— including the longest losing streak of coach Erik Spoelstra’s career. But where did things go wrong?
Butler’s messy trade demand threw a curve ball in the Heat’s plans. It's especially disappointing considering Butler once envisioned himself retiring in a Heat jersey.
Miami's mediocrity isn't new. Even with Butler on the roster, the Heat had been a play-in team over the past two seasons. Only, Butler's presence always gave the Heat a theoretical chance. No matter Miami's playoff seeding, Butler had the ability to up his game and transform into one of the league's best talents when it matters most.
Whether we're talking about Butler’s charisma or his ruthless will to win, he was different. He was as much of a “Heat Culture” player as anybody could be.
The success of the Butler era featured two trips to the NBA Finals, three Eastern Conference finals and securing the East’s number one seed all in a five-year span. After years of irrelevance with no real franchise direction, Butler's arrival in 2019 brought new life to Miami basketball.
Butler's trade to the Golden State Warriors lifted their team back into contention, including a 16-2 record in the first 18 games he has been in the lineup. Unfortunately, it’s been a completely different story for Miami, going an abysmal 4-17 in their first 21 games since the midseason trade.
As the Heat get set to host the visiting Warriors and their former franchise player on Tuesday, now is a good time to reflect on how we got here.
1. Failing to acquire another star
Miami's inability to make major additions to the roster was enough to frustrate Heat fans over the past half-decade. It was clear that the Heat were just one piece away from getting over the hump during Butler’s time in South Beach.
And they had plenty of chances. Pat Riley repeatedly failed to bring in another star to take the load off Butler. This includes a list of the likes of Kevin Durant (twice), Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, DeMar DeRozan and, most importantly, Damian Lillard.
Reality set in as soon as the potential Lillard acquisition fell through. It didn’t matter if stars showed mutual interest, had Miami as a preferred destination or, in Lillard’s case, asked for Miami and Miami only.
Instead, the only thing certain was Riley’s inability to get the job done.
2. Moving on from Butler's closest teammates
Butler grew close to several teammates during his tenure. Kyle Lowry, PJ Tucker, Max Strus, Gabe Vincent and Caleb Martin are the most notable in that regard.
What did Riley do with those players? He let them walk out the door. Granted, Lowry’s time to move on was overdue, considering his vast decline that never justified his near $30 million price tag.
However, the other guys proved to be crucial pieces in Erik Spoelstra’s rotation. All were missed by both Butler and Heat Nation.
3. Refusing to offer Butler a max extension
The most obvious reason for Butler and Miami’s messy breakup comes down to money. Last spring, Riley challenged Butler during his annual end-of-season press conference to improve his availability if he wanted a new hefty contract.
Riley’s old-school approach blew up in his face. That moment only created tension between the organization and its star player.
Even with all the other issues involved, this breakup could have been avoided if the Heat paid their guy. Instead, Riley's stubbornness led one of the greatest players in franchise history to walk out the door.