Strahinja Jokić, the older brother of the Denver Nuggets center, has pled not guilty to the third-degree assault charge that stems from allegedly punching a fan at Ball Arena during a game against the Lakers in April 2024. 

 

A video of the incident, showing S. Jokić striking another person, can be seen here. The victim had a concussion, bruising, and lacerations.

 

S. Jokić’s pre-trial conference is set for April 18. His jury trial is set for April 24. If convicted, he is facing a fine of not more than $1,000 and/or imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding 364 days. The case was reassigned to from courtroom 3F to 3B.

S. Jokić was previously in legal trouble in Denver in 2019. Then, he was charged with assault in the second degree for strangling Maria Jokić and accused of false imprisonment plus obstructing a telephone or telegraph service. He later accepted a guilty plea for obstructing a phone service and trespassing in a deferred prosecution arrangement, eliminating the charges. The trespassing charge was removed in 2022.

In professional sports, no player, no matter how talented or iconic, is ever bigger than the organization. Legends like Michael Jordan, who ended his career with the Washington Wizards, and Joe Montana, who played for the Kansas City Chiefs after his glory years with the San Francisco 49ers, remind us that players come and go, but teams endure. This ethos is deeply ingrained in the Miami Heat’s culture under Pat Riley’s leadership, where team success always comes first.

Jimmy Butler’s five-year tenure with the Heat has been one of significant contributions and milestones. From leading Miami to two NBA Finals appearances to being the team’s emotional and competitive anchor, Butler has undoubtedly left his mark. But recent events have cast doubt on his future with the franchise.

 

Jimmy Butler’s six-year Miami Heat tenure:

• 2X NBA Finals appearances
•  ECF MVP 
• 2X All-Star
• 3X All-NBA
•  1st in triple doubles in franchise history
•  1st in 40+ point playoffs games
• Most points in a playoff game in franchise history (56)

The Current Situation

Following a loss to the Indiana Pacers, Butler expressed frustration publicly, stating, “I want to see me get my joy back from playing basketball, wherever that may be.” These comments ignited a firestorm of speculation about his future with the Heat. Shortly after, the organization suspended Butler for seven games, citing “multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team over the course of the season and particularly the last several weeks.”

While Butler has a reputation as one of the NBA’s fiercest competitors, his “my way or the highway” approach has a well-documented history of creating friction. Miami is now grappling with how to proceed, balancing the need to maintain team cohesion with the undeniable contributions Butler has made.

 

A Pattern of Fallouts

This isn’t the first time Butler has clashed with a franchise. His history of contentious departures is well-known:

• Chicago Bulls: After emerging as a star in Chicago, Butler’s relationship with the Bulls deteriorated amid conflicts with teammates and concerns about his leadership style. The team eventually traded him to Minnesota in 2017.
• Minnesota Timberwolves: Butler’s time in Minnesota was brief but explosive. During a now-infamous practice, Butler reportedly berated teammates and front office members, asserting dominance over younger players like Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins. His public demands for a trade led to a swift exit.
• Philadelphia 76ers: After helping the Sixers to a deep playoff run, Butler reportedly clashed with head coach Brett Brown over his role in the offense. These internal tensions played a role in Butler leaving Philadelphia in free agency to join the Heat.

In Miami, Butler initially found a home that embraced his fiery personality and win-at-all-costs mentality. But as the pattern repeats, it’s clear that his approach often leads to friction when challenges arise. This scenario is no different as Jimmy has quit on not only management, but his teammates, and ultimately the fans.

Pat Riley’s History with Star Players

Pat Riley’s tenure with the Miami Heat has been marked by both success and hard decisions regarding superstar players.

• Dwyane Wade: Despite being the franchise’s cornerstone, Wade experienced a fallout with Riley over contract disputes in 2016, leading to Wade’s departure to Chicago. Riley later admitted he mishandled the situation and welcomed Wade back in 2018 to finish his career in Miami.
• Shaquille O’Neal: After helping the Heat win their first championship in 2006, O’Neal’s relationship with Riley and the organization soured due to clashes over effort and fitness. Riley traded Shaq to Phoenix in 2008 to move the team forward.
• LeBron James: LeBron’s departure in 2014 was less contentious but highlighted Riley’s firm stance on team-first principles. LeBron reportedly clashed with Riley over his desire for more player-centric control of the organization.

Through these experiences, Riley has consistently prioritized the long-term health of the franchise, even at the expense of losing marquee players. Is Riley always in the right? No, yet the pattern is clear and has resulted in a historic winning franchise.

 

Did the Heat Miss Their Window?

Given Butler’s age (35) and the physical demands of his playing style, some argue that the Heat should have anticipated these issues and moved him during the summer of 2023, when his trade value was at an all-time high. Instead, the team doubled down, keeping an aging star on a hefty contract (one Butler didn’t believe was enough), a decision that may now limit their options.

Pat Riley, who has delivered three championships to Miami, has built a legacy on making tough but necessary decisions. Letting go of a star player is never easy, but Riley’s track record shows a commitment to the long-term health of the franchise over short-term gains.

 

Looking Ahead

The Miami Heat are at a crossroads. Moving Butler now would likely yield diminished returns compared to what could have been achieved a few months ago. However, the organization must prioritize team stability and future competitiveness.

A potential best-case scenario for the Heat, as outlined by Barry Jackson’s recent tweets, could involve rebuilding trust with Butler through internal discussions while actively exploring trade options behind the scenes. The Heat might package Butler with young assets to acquire a younger star or high draft picks, ensuring the team remains competitive in the future. Another avenue could see Butler returning to the court after suspension with renewed focus, using the remainder of the season to prove his value, thereby maximizing his trade stock in the offseason.

Conclusion

Jimmy Butler’s time with the Miami Heat has been a rollercoaster of highs and lows. His contributions are undeniable, but so too is the reality that no player is bigger than the team. As the Heat navigate this difficult situation, Pat Riley’s guiding philosophy—putting the organization above all else—will ultimately determine the path forward.

 

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Austin Dobbins can be found at @AustinD1316

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Tyler Herro cooked the Rockets so hard that Amen Thompson had to throw him down to make it stop, but the Heat were already too far ahead.  The crew overcame the league’s second-rated defense plus 13 lead changes en route to one of the top wins of the season. 

 

“That’s what happens when someone’s scoring, throwing dimes, doing the whole thing. I’d get mad, too,” Herro said in the locker room postgame.

 

Herro led the way early, dribbling to the hoop for a couple of baskets and hitting a deep pull-up. Terry Rozier logged four shots and Adebayo made two in the paint.

 

But the defense couldn’t stop Alperen Şengün piercing the lane four times, and Rozier fouled Jalen Green on a 3-point try. 

 

Then Adebayo, Rozier and Highsmith added two field goals apiece, but the rest of the team made two of nine. Defensively, 3-pointers weren’t hurting the crew, but Şengün was perfect on three extra attempts in the restricted area.

 

At halftime, the Heat was up 53-50. They had 30 paint points, nine on the break, eight via second chances, 10 off turnovers and nine from the bench. 

 

The Rockets had 28 paint points, six on the break, seven via second chances, six off turnovers and 11 from the bench.

 

Subsequently, the Heat started the turd quarter, getting outscored 18-5 in five minutes. Jalen Green was also catching fire on scores from long and close range. But the flow of the match changed as soon as Herro connected on a corner triple supplied by Haywood Highsmith. The Heat ended the quarter making eight of 10 baskets on screen rolls and open jumpers. 

 

The fourth quarter began with the Heat down 82-81. It was a defensive struggle after four minutes when the Heat went down seven points. No team shot above 31.6%, yet the visitors were sharper to close, holding the Rockets to 11 connective misses and three baskets in the last 18 tries. 

 

Herro was the only Heatle to hit multiple shots in the frame, but Nikola Jović’s wing dagger over Thompson put the game out of reach. 

 

Next, Fred VanVleet got ejected while arguing over a five-second violation. Herro made the technical free throw, but while waiting for the ball to check in, he and Thompson got tangled up. Herro was thrown on the ground and bodies instantly came into the fray- Rozier went for Thompson in particular. 

 

It resulted in ejections for Herro, Rozier, Thompson, Green, Ime Udoka and Ben Sullivan.

 

The Heat won 104-100. They had 48 paint points, 14 on the break, 15 via second chances, 15 off turnovers and 31 from the bench. 

 

Herro scored 27 points on 10 of 17 attempts, with six rebounds, nine assists and three turnovers. 

 

Jović had 18 points on five of nine shots, with seven rebounds and six assists. 

 

And Highsmith had 15 points on 67% shooting, with eight rebounds, two assists, two steals, one block and a turnover. 

 

The Rockets had 44 paint points, 19 on the break, nine via second chances, 12 off turnovers and 18

from the bench. 

 

After the game, Adebayo said the team’s response to the dust-up was appropriate. “That’s what being in this locker room is about… one of us get in a scuffle, we all jump in.”

 

The Heat’s record is now 16-14.

 

Observations: 

 

• Kel’el Ware’s size was a problem for the Rockets. He scored on screen rolls with Herro and Jović. The Heat will need more of Ware’s vertical spacing when Adebayo rests.

 

• Jović had his top game of the season. He made three of five triples on the catch and dribble, plus maneuvered into the lane for two baskets. 

 

• It would be unjust if the NBA’s chief disciplinarian Joe Dumars suspended Herro. Getting dropped, cursing at an aggressor and waving goodbye to the crowd is not cause for it, but pretending to be in mixed martial arts is. 

 

• This is what getting a win out of the mud looks like. The team’s half-court offense was halted to 84.1 points per 100 possessions, good enough for the 18th percentile of all games played this season, per Cleaning the Glass. 

 

A masterful second half by Tyler Herro wasn’t enough to lift the Heat out of danger. Trae Young and Jalen Johnson went wild against the defense, and the hosts closed the game on a gut-punching 14-5 run.

 

The Hawks had 35 opening points, including scores on three backdoor cuts. Herro, Bam Adebayo and Haywood Highsmith countered with baskets from long and close range. 

 

Then Duncan Robinson, Alec Burks and Herro poured in five treys. And Adebayo and Highsmith scored at the rim. The defense forced five turnovers but couldn’t stop Zaccharie Risacher and Johnson from making six shots in the lane.

 

At halftime, the Heat was down 61-58. The team had 26 paint points, eight on the break, seven via second chances, 10 off turnovers and 15 from the bench. 

 

The Hawks had 36 paint points, seven on the break, seven via second chances, nine off turnovers and 27 from the bench.  Infamous Heat killer Garrison Mathews also sent his regards with 10 on three of six shots off Atlanta’s bench, and De’Andre Hunter also had 10.

 

Next, Herro scored 11 points at the line, attacking on the break, Euro-stepping into the lane and nailing a deep triple. Highsmith and Jaime Jaquez Jr. chipped in multiple baskets apiece, but aside from them, the crew made three of 12 shots. 

 

For the Hawks, Johnson dribbled and cut his way into the lane for three baskets. Hunter added three of four makes. And Mathews downed two more treys. 

 

The fourth quarter started with the Heat down 93-84. They got within a point after Herro hit a pull-up triple with four minutes left. To that moment, the crew had made seven of 13 baskets in the period. 

 

Subsequently, Atlanta went on a 14-5 run, which was supplied by Hunter, Mathews, Johnson and Young to close the game. 

 

The Heat lost 120-110. The team had 50 paint points, 17 on the break, 12 via second chances, 17 off turnovers and 27 from the bench. 

 

Herro had 28 points on eight of 15 shots, with seven rebounds, 10 assists and two turnovers. 

 

Adebayo put up 17 points on 47.1% shooting, with 10 rebounds, two assists, one steal, two blocks and two turnovers.

 

And Highsmith had 14 points on six of eight attempts, with six rebounds, two assists and a turnover. 

 

The Hawks had 56 paint points, 17 on the break, nine via second chances, 12 off turnovers and 59 from the bench. Hunter had 26 off the bench. 

 

After the game, coach Erik Spoelstra said, “We had some plays where we got them to the last five seconds of the clock and just could not finish… and on the other end, we came up empty.”

Observations:

• Spoelstra rested Herro four minutes to start the fourth, which was a bit too long because he was the team’s main source of offense. He played slightly below 36 minutes. There is nothing wrong with the star breaking 40 every once in a while.

 

• This was Highsmith’s fourth night of the season making at least six shots.

 

• The Heat converted 17 of 25 shots in the restricted area and 47.1% in the paint non-restricted area, finishing slightly above average efficiency in both spots.

 

• The half-court offense generated 97.5 points per 100 plays, good enough for the 53rd percentile of the stat in all games played this season, per Cleaning the Glass.

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And suddenly it was over.

The wikipedia entry doesn’t even feel real. “James Joseph Larrañaga^[1] (/ˌlɛərəˈneɪɡə/ LAIR-ə-NAY-gə; born October 2, 1949) is a former college basketball coach and was most recently the head coach of the University of Miami Hurricanes men’s basketball team from 2011 to 2024 when he stepped down.”

The words punch you in the gut. “Former college basketball coach.”

While the program had gone off the rails (4-18 in the last 22 games) and it felt like the end was near, the suddenness of it was still jarring.

We all expected a retirement announcement, a victory lap, and for the man that elevated Miami basketball to a level previously unimagined to get his flowers. Instead, the game against Mt. Saint Mary’s, the crushing overtime loss, was his last.

Gone in a flash.

The man who had never taken no for an answer, who had built a Miami program in the face of doubters, and had time and again reinvented himself and his style of play, was “exhausted” and with no path forward. At 75 years old, it was jarring to see Larrañaga discussing his “failures” given that his resume is Hall of Fame worthy.

Larrañaga always had a path forward, a new way to play, a new idea. The 2013 ACC Championship team played big and physical, pounding opponents into submission. 10 years later, he went to the Final Four on the back of small ball. And yet here he was, out of ideas, left to waxing poetically about a bygone era when he could focus on teaching. This modern era was something he was unable and unwilling to adapt to.

Greatness Redefined

When Jim Larrañaga arrived at Miami, he found a program with a relatively new on campus arena in a basketball power conference and not much else.

Conventional wisdom was that Miami could not compete in the ACC. And there was logic behind that wisdom. Previous head coach Frank Haith was 43-69 in ACC Play at Miami, with one NCAA Tournament Appearance and one 8-8 conference record in 7 years. That record got him job security! Not only did the Miami Athletic Department think that record was reasonable given the school’s standing, but Missouri hired him based on that performance.

Larrañaga talked today about how he always dreamed of coaching in the ACC, and Miami afforded him that opportunity. But he did so much more than coach in it. He defined it. 

When he came into the ACC, the notion of Miami basketball as an ACC contender was a joke. It turns out the joke was on everyone else. In his wake, Larrañaga leaves 2 ACC Regular Season Titles, 1 ACC Tournament Title, 6 NCAA Tournament Appearances, 4 Sweet 16 Appearances, 2 Elite Eight Appearances, and a Final Four Appearance in a little over 13 seasons. The numbers are so astounding that they sound made up.

The court should be named after him (and Coach Katie Meier) one day. The photo of them taken together 2 short years ago as they headed off to Sweet 16 games (which both would win) seems like from a different timeline.

Image Courtesy of the Miami Herald

And yet that is our reality. Larrañaga leaves behind a legacy of program building and winning. He has raised the expectations to such levels that it will be nearly impossible for any future coach to reach the standard he has set here.

Miami is not supposed to be able to beat Duke and North Carolina. But Larrañaga did that, repeatedly. About the time Kenny Kadji was dunking a ball thrown off the backboard by Shane Larkin in a 2013 home game against Duke we knew something had changed. 

The program was never the same, the bar permanently raised. It was no fluke. There were the ups and downs that all programs experience. But the one thing that was consistent is that no one wanted to play against a Jim Larrañaga team.

That was due to his love of coaching. Not just of being a coach, but the mechanics of coaching. He loved to teach, and he was so unbelievably good at it that even his “bad” teams were tough to play. We saw that last year when in the face of an unending losing streak the Canes battled the ACC’s top team, North Carolina, to the last play, twice.

With Larrañaga, there was always a chance. Miami basketball went from something to kill time between football seasons to must watch TV.

Imperfect, But Fitting End

Jim Larrañaga took Miami basketball from the outhouse to the penthouse. And it did with a smile on his face, the lovable winner. He did it amongst the backdrop of an ever-changing college basketball landscape.

There is never a perfect ending. Life isn’t a fairy tale.

If there was a time machine, we’d go back to that night in Houston when the Canes’ Final Four run ended and Larrañaga would retire on top. But we can’t go back, and in the end this retiremen was quintessential Larrañaga.

He left on his own terms. And did so after serious thought and reflection. He did so to avoid a messy ending. True to himself and his values.

Larrañaga selflessly stepped aside, choosing the University of Miami, the community he had grown, and the program he had built over himself. 

He came up just short of the ultimate goal, a National Championship, believing such a feat is possible at the university, but that he was not the one to accomplish it.

This is an ending, but it is so much more than that. It’s a bittersweet day.

Jim Larrañaga will be missed. But sometimes you really don’t take time to reflect on what and who is important. And if nothing else, Larrañaga’s retirement will allow the space to do just that, to honor the man who has honored us with his presence. He’ll be remembered more for his impact off the court than his wins on the court. He built a community around the basketball program that will outlive us all.

Larrañaga talked today about how coaching at Miami was a dream for him. A life goal. And he should be congratulated for accomplishing that dream.

But I have to correct one thing. It was so much more than just his dream. It was a dream for everyone.

By accomplishing his dream, Coach Larrañaga allowed all of us to dream. And I will always be grateful for that. 

Today, Jim Larrañaga became the former Miami basketball coach. But he’ll forever be our Coach L.

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Vishnu Parasuraman is a show host and writer for @FiveReasonsSports. He covers the Miami Hurricanes Football for @SixthRingCanes Miami Hurricanes Basketball for @buckets_canes , and Miami Hurricanes Baseball for @CanesOnDeck as part of the @5ReasonsCanes Network. You can follow him on twitter @vrp2003