The Jimmy Butler is officially over, so the All U Can Heat staff got together to discuss the trade saga and where the Miami Heat go from here.
Q: Give me your tweet-length review of the blockbuster film, “The Jimmy Butler Saga.”
Wes Goldberg: While the premise was believable, the twists and turns seemed farfetched. I mean, Jimmy Butler dyes his hair based on the teams rumored to be on his list of destinations? Who would ever do that? That he ends up on the Warriors was a good twist in the end and opens the door for a Butler-Draymond Green-vehicle sequel.
Alex Villasis: The height of this movie was the battle with Jimmy Butler and the front office along with what Butler had in store next. But, this was a film that dragged out way too long and should have ended much sooner with the constant suspensions becoming stale.
Daniel Riccio: The Jimmy Butler movie-type saga should be titled “No Money, No Joy.” Miami’s partnership with Butler seemed to be a match made in heaven for the last five years. One that Butler once proclaimed his vision to retire with the franchise and make it the last jersey he wears. Ultimately, money talks, and Riley’s reservations about committing financial resources to an aging part-time postseason-only superstar should be viewed as the lead factor in this messy divorce.
Brennan Sims: The Jimmy Butler saga, aka "Heat's Dark Cloud," had a nasty ending similar to the Vincanity Debacle in Toronto in the early 2000s. This movie was a dramedy with Kevin Love's humor pouring through your Instagram feed. There were theatrics on all sides, but Butler burned his goodwill in a city that would've put his jersey in the rafters.
Q: Are the Miami Heat a trade deadline winner or loser?
Goldberg: Winners. It’s hard to get better after trading away a star, but that’s what happened, considering the Heat were getting nothing from Butler. The Heat have been short at least two rotation-caliber players all season, and Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson and Davion Mitchell will step in and fill needs right away. Wiggins and Mitchell double Miami’s allotment of high-quality defenders, joining Bam Adebayo and Haywood Highsmith as the team’s defensive backbone. The Heat were sorely in need of Wiggins’ bottom-of-the-ledger production.
Villasis: I am going to say winners. Even though the Heat lost their best player, the Heat gained back three players who are ready to contribute immediately and whose skill sets can fit with this current team.
Riccio: They are winners. It may not have been Kevin Durant, who had a pathway to land in Miami, but an Andrew Wiggins-headlined return was always one of the better options available. And the Heat got intriguing assets (including a coveted draft pick in a loaded 2025 class) in exchange for a heavily disgruntled star who wanted no part of the franchise anymore. You take what you can get and run with it.
Sims: It's hard to get a great return for a 35-year-old lacking a long-term contract when the league KNOWS you must move him. Walking away with a 29-year-old Andrew Wiggins could be a W, depending on which Wiggs we get. He should be motivated to show the Warriors they screwed up moving him for a dramatic star.
Q: What five-man unit are you most excited to see in the second half of the season?
Goldberg: Mitchell, Herro, Wiggins, Adebayo and Ware. That lineup features four high-impact defenders who can cover for Herro’s deficiencies and suffocate opposing offenses. They might struggle to score in the halfcourt, but that’s OK. I’m excited to watch the rock fight.
Villasis: This is solely for an end-of-game situation. But a defensive lineup of Davion Mitchell, Haywood Highsmith, Andrew Wiggins, Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware being placed out there to get a stop for the win would be great to see.
Riccio: A lineup that I would like to see, which could be a bit of a wildcard group, is Nikola Jovic, Tyler Herro, Andrew Wiggins, Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware. I have always wanted to see Jovic get real minutes as a primary ball handler at the point guard position. With this retooled, and much more youthful Heat era underway, there is room to experiment with new things. Jovic has the playmaking skills and experience in his Olympic runs over the years, and such a lineup move could unleash his full potential.
Sims: The all-defense lineups (Mitchell at PG, Highsmith in) ooze Heat culture, but they'd be an eyesore to watch offensively. That is a great option to get stops at the end, but Herro, Wiggins, Jovic, Bam, and Ware lineup is intriguing. Herro is the lone poor defender in the group, but the backline is potent. Jovic is so-so, too, but he can take the weaker big while Bam can guard whoever.