Tag Archive for: Jimmy Butler

Jimmy Butler: The Leader is Being Overlooked

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Many people have been so caught up with Giannis Antetokounmpo signings and Bradley Beal trades, that they seem to forget about the leader and star of this Heat team.

Jimmy Butler.

After an outstanding playoff run and finals performance, you’d think that he’d never be overlooked again. But well, it seems as if some have forgotten what he is capable of.

Of course, Miami could possibly pull off a trade at any moment, but ultimately Jimmy is the leader of this team right now, or even if a star lands in South Beach.

Jimmy Butler continually told people in the bubble that this team was going to do something special, and although people doubted, they did just that.

And now that people are possibly counting out Miami since they didn’t sign another star, he feels right at home. Doubt is what drives Jimmy Butler, and actually the entire Heat team.

He had a vision of what he wanted this Heat team to look like and it shaped out pretty perfectly for him. He wanted Goran Dragic back in a Heat uniform no matter what, and also wanted a gritty guard defender in Avery Bradley. And he got both.

He also got to keep his young gems in Tyler Herro, Kendrick Nunn, and Duncan Robinson. Well, at least for now.

The point is that stars will find themselves in Miami sooner than later, but Miami already has their star. He proved that he can be the best player on the floor on any given night once the post-season begins, and doesn’t even need the ball in his hands to be productive.

Heat fans clearly know the importance and level of play from Jimmy Butler, but there seems to be a loss of appreciation due to trades and free agency rumors.

Miami already has their star. And they can still grab another one during the grind to another NBA title, but that’s Pat Riley and Andy Elisburg’s job, not Jimmy Butler’s.

Jimmy is going to go out there and compete no matter who is playing next to him. And right now he’s got a happy and paid Bam Adebayo, a hungry Tyler Herro, a bunch of role guys putting the work in, and many young players ready to prove themselves by making that next jump.

Jimmy Butler is ready to run it back. And whether you appreciate his star status on this team is up to you.

Pat Riley: “I’d Like To Run This Thing Back”

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Free agency officially begins this afternoon at 6 pm, and Miami may be involved quite a bit.

Most importantly they will look to retain Goran Dragic and Jae Crowder, which although some rumors have loomed, I have no doubt they will be back in a Miami Heat uniform next season.

Pat Riley mentioned in his press conference the other night, “I’d like to run this thing back.” And well, that starts with retaining their key free agents.

This statement can be taken a few different ways, but I believe he was saying they want to run it back with their core. I don’t think that exactly pertains to a possible move trading away Kendrick Nunn or Kelly Olynyk.

But ultimately, every team in the Eastern Conference right now is scrambling trying to get better in any way they can, while Miami is sitting back watching.

And there’s a reason for that.

It is known that Pat Riley and company are never afraid to make the big trade to make the team better, but they make take a different approach this season. After reaching the NBA Finals, Pat is content with keeping the young and productive core that this team has, and rightfully so.

For one, I believe that showcases the bright futures of Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson. Bam Adebayo is clearly untouchable, but Herro and Robinson seemed to have been thrown in some trade talks here and there throughout the off-season. But well, Pat isn’t giving these guys up for nothing, and he may not even give them up for something big.

There is a real and genuine tone in Pat Riley’s voice when he talks about the potential or production of his young players, and that is not always the case.

He is perfectly fine with “running it back,” and Heat fans should be too.

Possibly adding some role players, such as Wesley Matthews, may be the most attractive move right now, so we will see what happens this afternoon when Free Agency officially begins.

Jimmy Butler: Easier Role Due To Young Player Breakouts

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“We’ll be back.”

That’s what Jimmy Butler had to say following a game six loss in the NBA Finals to the Los Angeles Lakers.

It doesn’t matter what the circumstance was this past season in the bubble, Jimmy truly believes that they will be back. And why wouldn’t he, after a team projected to be a second round exit battled in the NBA Finals.

The regular season and playoffs showed everybody who Jimmy Butler is, but the Finals showed who he can be if needed.

Conversations loomed all throughout the season if Jimmy was playing the correct way. It seemed as if his unselfishness at times hurt this Heat team, and many said he would need to step up and score more.

And well, that’s exactly what he did in this past NBA Finals, and I feel the Finals is the only place that he has to do that.

Even if Miami goes into this next season with the same exact team, he can take a bit of a step back. Tyler Herro could have a huge second season scoring the ball, especially since he’ll have an increased role in the offense, which I’ve predicted he will be the team’s leading scorer.

Bam Adebayo will also be looking to take a huge leap this next season, after his bubble play previewed a jump that is soon to come. If he looks to try and score a bit more, that takes some weight off of Jimmy as well.

If you learned anything from Jimmy’s game this season, it’s that he’s going to do exactly what Jimmy Butler does. He’s going to be the main play-maker, defender, and facilitator for this young team, since he knows that they’re the key to success throughout the season.

But when it’s time to turn it on, he will be ready for that as well.

This is what makes this off-season so intriguing for Miami, since they have a choice to improve the team by adding some talent, or just run it back with the talent they have.

Either way, Jimmy Butler will be sharing the floor with Bam and Tyler, which means he will automatically take a step back to let these guys flourish.

But when Bam and Tyler do begin to breakout this next season, just know it’s because of the unselfishness and winning mentality of Jimmy Butler.

Is A Miami Heat Trade for Kyle Lowry the Most Ideal Pick-Up?

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There’s been a lot of discussion about possible trade options for the Miami Heat, including Victor Oladipo and Jrue Holiday, but is Kyle Lowry the best fit?

I believe he is. For one, there’s a known relationship between Lowry and Jimmy Butler. He’s the type of player that Jimmy would love to play with as well, since he’s one of those gritty and tough players.

Miami is also in need of a defensive guard, and with Kyle Lowry, you know you are getting that and more. He’s a guy that you can trust to guard an opposing point guard, which ultimately takes a lot of pressure off Jimmy Butler.

Jimmy would also get some pressure taken off of him on the offensive side of the ball. Lowry averaged 19 points a game this past season, while hitting about 3 threes a game.

The fitting factor with Kyle Lowry on this team is obvious, since he fits the culture mold, but what does this effect?

For one, the Toronto Raptors will not just be giving Lowry away for free. But, the reason they will be willing to make this trade is because they will need to sign Fred VanVleet, and it’s clear that’s the route they will go for their future.

Miami’s trade package that people have discussed lately includes Kendrick Nunn, Kelly Olynyk, the 20th pick, and possibly KZ Okpala. This may seem like a lot for a 35 year old Kyle Lowry, but if Miami was to trade for him, they’d definitely find a way to give up much less than all of these assets.

Another trade that has been discussed is giving up much less, but sending Duncan Robinson to Toronto. Once again, I would not include Duncan in this type of trade, and I don’t believe Miami would either.

It impacts Miami’s cap space for this season as well. Kyle Lowry is going into the last year of his deal, which is worth $30 Million, and could impact possible re-signings for Miami. The only positive thing though is that it wouldn’t impact Miami’s run at Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2021, since it will be off the books.

Would Miami be willing to give all of this up for another run at an NBA Championship next season?

Well, I’m not sure, but it’s clear that Pat Riley isn’t afraid to make moves to win now.

Although you may be losing some key role pieces, you’d still have a core of Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Kyle Lowry, Tyler Herro, and Duncan Robinson. And I believe that you can compete for a title with that core.

Can DeMarcus Cousins Have His Comeback Season in Miami?

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DeMarcus Cousins to Miami. That’s interesting on many levels.

Obviously Cousins didn’t get to play all of last season after he tore his ACL back in August. And before that, he had torn his Achilles in 2018 and suffered a torn quadricep in the playoffs. It’s pretty clear, he’s had a rough time over this long stretch.

When he returned from the Achilles injury, he shot 27% from three through 30 games to finish off the season.

It’s clear that people can sit here and guess what his injuries could limit him to, but ultimately he is still DeMarcus Cousins.

He’s a tough player who has an incredible offensive package for his size. He can hurt you from beyond the arc, but also has the ability to put the ball on the deck and take it up strong. With these offensive attributes, it seems as if he’d be the perfect Bam Adebayo complement, if healthy.

DeMarcus also isn’t afraid to get on the block and back opposing bigs down, which will give Bam plenty of space to continue to run the offense. And with Cousins’ passing skills out of the post, it’d make an intriguing big man duo.

He definitely isn’t the defensive big they may hope for, but that may not be a worry in the Heat’s eyes if they’re getting a healthy DeMarcus Cousins.

If Miami was to acquire him, I believe they would work him in off of the bench, unless he begins to show some flashbacks.

And by the way, there’s not many teams that DeMarcus would totally buy into a bench role, but I can tell you Miami is one of them.

Obviously it’s clear about the organizational structure, but what stands out more is his friendship and respect for Jimmy Butler. First of all, Miami has a selling point with Jimmy alone, but since Jimmy always seems to speak so highly of Cousins, I believe he could fit the Heat culture well.

And many always talk about DeMarcus Cousins being a locker room issue, but that’s what Jimmy Butler was considered upon arrival. If Miami was to make this move, you must trust that they know this guy’s character.

Once again though, this all falls on his health. He’s had two major injuries in the past two years, which ultimately can hurt a guy’s mobility at that size.

If Miami does believe that he can be impactful on this current Heat team, it’ll make for an interesting 2021 season.

Could Miami Still Be Eyeing DeMar DeRozan?

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There have been many talks in the past about DeMar DeRozan possibly taking his talents to South Beach. But is there still a possibility?

DeMar has a player option for the last year of his deal, which means he will stay with San Antonio since he will not be passing up on $27.7 Million.

But there’s still a chance Miami could be eyeing him in a trade package. There’s been talks about Miami packaging Kendrick Nunn and Kelly Olynyk to try and get a guy like Victor Oladipo, but what if they did the same with DeMar?

This could be a one year rental before he hits free agency in 2021, which Miami will be going hard at Giannis Antetokounmpo. But why not try to make another run at the NBA finals, with as much talent as possible.

Obviously there are cons to doing this. For one, you’re giving up a young project in Kendrick Nunn for DeMar for only one year. It’s very possible though since Pat Riley is constantly in win now mode.

Another con is that they’re not bringing in the same defensive specialist as they would with Victor Oladipo, but DeMar is so talented it may not matter.

Three-point shooting would not be ideal as well, since Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and DeMar DeRozan would be sharing the floor. But it may not matter since they have Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro, who can keep the shooting afloat alone.

There are also a bunch of pros to this as well. Adding a natural scorer like DeMar may not be the worst thing in the world. He averaged 22 points a game this past season, and is absolutely deadly from the mid-range. And since Miami’s three point shooting last season was off the charts, adding some offensive flavor may work out well.

Another reason that these talks have occurred this season is that Jimmy Butler is close with DeMar. And after watching what Jimmy had to do with the offense in the NBA finals, it would’ve been nice for DeMar to take some weight off of him.

Obviously, once again, this is all speculation and it may not be the best overall fit for this team, but there’s always a chance for Pat Riley to make a win now move since Jimmy Butler isn’t getting any younger.

Would a big three of Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and DeMar DeRozan make some noise in this upcoming season?

I believe so.

A Possible Miami Heat Reunion: The Perfect Fit

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There are many guys on the Heat’s off-season radar right now, since they’re trying to find the right guy to add to this team to try and get this team back to the finals.

When discussing some possible trades, there’s been some big names that have come up including Victor Oladipo. But with that, you are probably going to have to give something up that you don’t want to, and there is uncertainty with his health. There’s also some concern about his actions in the playoffs when he lost to the Miami Heat.

Is he a Miami Heat type guy?

Well, there’s another guy that has proven he’s a Miami Heat type guy.

Josh Richardson was obviously included in a package to get Jimmy Butler last year, but it’s definitely not out of the question of a possible return.

I’ve mentioned before that Miami may not need a home-run pick-up this off-season, but instead the perfect fit. Josh is the perfect fit, since he fills the holes on this current team.

He’s a defensive first guard, who also is very capable of scoring the ball. If Miami could use a Josh Richardson to guard a Kemba Walker in a playoff series, that takes such a weight off of Jimmy Butler and others.

He also would not have to play the same role that he played while in Miami before. Instead of running the offense, he would be a facilitator on the wing who can hit the occasional three and attack the rim.

In Philadelphia, he was playing a role that doesn’t fit him well. For one, he was the only shooter on the floor with the starting lineup, which means that he had to carry the load of a role that he’s not extremely comfortable with.

But what would it take to get him to Miami?

Well, that’s not very clear, but it’s expected that it would include Kendrick Nunn, Kelly Olynyk, and the 20th pick. This is the trade that has been discussed with the other big names, but there’s no uncertainty in the player you are receiving when discussing Josh Richardson.

He also has a relationship with a bunch of guys on the roster still, especially Bam Adebayo.

The organization definitely hasn’t forgotten about Josh as well, since he was their second round steal in 2015.

Obviously this is all speculation, but it just seems there’s no better player to add to this team this off-season than Josh Richardson. Having Josh Richardson and Tyler Herro as your starting back-court seems pretty ideal, since Tyler can take the scoring reigns and Josh can take the biggest defensive assignment.

This pick-up makes the most sense for Miami, and also would be great for the individual success of Josh. If Miami could pull this trade off, it would basically mean that they traded Kendrick Nunn and Kelly Olynyk for Josh Richardson and Jimmy Butler, which would once again prove the genius front office of the Miami Heat.

The Game that Showcased the Miami Heat’s Full Potential

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59 seconds on the clock.

Down 117-111.

Trae Young just proclaimed the game over.

But was it?

The answer is no, because it’s never over when you have the amount of firepower that the Miami Heat have on this roster.

A Duncan Robinson and Jimmy Butler three sent the game to overtime, which was the beginning of a 22-0 run.

Bam Adebayo and Duncan Robinson exploded in overtime to give Miami a win.

Not only did this game show what this Heat team can do as a team, it was also a game that showcased many player’s personal abilities.

Bam Adebayo achieved his first career triple-double, while scoring 30 points for the first time in his career.

Jimmy Butler also put up a triple-double, grabbing a career high 18 rebounds.

Duncan Robinson scored a career high 34 points, knocking down 10 threes.

Kendrick Nunn also with a career high 36 points.

This was just the beginning of what these guys are truly capable of doing. This was the first game that Bam showed his full offensive package, and obviously he still has room to improve. It was also the moment that people realized he has the ability to take over a game if needed, which is what he did in overtime. And it’s also what he did throughout Miami’s playoff run.

That Jimmy Butler triple-double wasn’t really out of the norm, since he began to do that on a regular basis in the finals. Grabbing 18 rebounds though is impressive in itself, especially since he emphasized on rebounding so much against the Los Angeles Lakers.

This also put a stamp on the shooting excellence of Duncan Robinson, since it’s not everyday that a player makes 10 threes in a game. But since so many other guys were clicking on that night, it opened up the floor for him.

And of course Kendrick Nunn. This was when Kendrick was playing at Rookie of the Year levels, since his scoring abilities were off the charts. Obviously some of the lows throughout these playoffs made some people forget about this, but it’s clear he has the ability to do it. He began to show some glimpses in the Finals, but this game was the beginning of the increase in his value.

And this was on a night where Tyler Herro scored 0 points, which may be more surprising than any of the other player’s records.

It also showed that this team was full of a bunch of dogs, who are hungry to win. After seeing their will to win in this game approximately 10 months ago, it isn’t surprising what Miami did in the playoffs.

This team is full of young and evolving talent, which is why it’ll be very interesting how much they improve by the start of the 2021 season.

The Jimmy Butler-Paul George Debate is Over, But Now There’s a New One

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There has been an ongoing debate for a while now about Jimmy Butler and Paul George. Both are two-way guys that are top players in the league. But it seems as if one of those guys may have set themselves apart.

After the Los Angeles Clippers meltdown in the Western Conference Semi-Finals, where they blew a 3-1 lead against the Denver Nuggets, it was clear that Paul George would take some heat.

It also didn’t help his case that Jimmy Butler took his team on an incredible run to the finals, stepping up when it really mattered, which is what has continually been in question when discussing Paul George.

Now that this debate is pretty much settled, it seems as if there’s a new one to discuss.

Bam Adebayo has proved himself once again in this playoff run, and it seems as if there is more similarities between these two, than Jimmy Butler and Paul George.

Paul George averaged 2 more points in the playoffs this season, while Bam averaged 4 more rebounds. Both of these guys were second options on their respective teams, but only one stepped up when it really mattered.

And it’s obvious that Bam Adebayo is the textbook definition of a two-way guy, since his energy is contagious on both sides of the floor.

Paul George had a better regular season than Bam Adebayo statistically, but that’s clear since that is when Paul George does most of his damage.

Bam Adebayo, on the other hand, is a proven winner who will be a handful for opposing playoff match-ups for many years to come.

It’ll be interesting to see where the majority of people rank these guys in the top players in the league, but for it to be this close with Bam being 7 years younger than Paul is absolutely insane.

Jimmy Butler proved his placing among the top players in the league, and it’s only a matter of time for Bam to do so as well.

Top 5 Moments from the Miami Heat’s Playoff Run

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This Miami Heat playoff run was filled with historical performances and plays in some of the biggest games. Here are the five best moments from this stretch…

Number 5:

Bam Adebayo’s 32/14/5 in the Closeout Game Over Boston

The Miami Heat were up 3-2 in the series against the Boston Celtics, and had to play an intense game six. Many proclaimed this game as a must win for Miami, which seems ridiculous due to the amount of talent on this roster. But when Miami needed a big game, Bam Adebayo showed up big. His stat-line in this closeout win is clearly impressive, putting up 32 points, 14 rebounds, and 5 assists, but that doesn’t even explain what he did. He took over down the stretch of that game, proving that he can be the best player on the floor when he wants to be. A huge And-1 late in the fourth quarter gave Miami a huge boost to send them to the finals, which was an outstanding performance from Bam.

Number 4:

Jimmy Butler Game Winning Free Throws Over Milwaukee

The Miami Heat faced off against the Milwaukee Bucks in game two of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals, which was a wild finish. The game was tied with four seconds left, and Jimmy Butler got fouled on a baseline jump-shot with zero seconds on the clock. And who better to put on the line than the cool, calm, and collected Jimmy Butler, which led to him sinking both of them to go up 2-0. Not only was this an amazing play for Jimmy Butler, it was an insane finish from a viewers perspective. This was a huge moment in the series, which led to Miami winning in five.

Number 3:

Tyler Herro’s 37 Point Game Against Boston

This absolutely amazing game from Tyler Herro was impressive for a couple of reasons. For one, he’s 20 years old taking over a game completely, that involves Kemba Walker and Jayson Tatum. Nobody could stop or match Tyler Herro’s offensive play, especially since he was doing it from everywhere on the floor. Another reason it was so impressive was that he did it so efficiently. He shot 14 for 21 from the field and 5 for 10 from three. It’s not everyday that a rookie scores 37 points in an Eastern Conference Finals game, which is why it’s the third best play of the postseason.

Number 2:

Jimmy Butler’s 40 Point Triple-Double in Finals

This game was just a clear representation of who Jimmy Butler is. A winner. He showed that he can play a certain way throughout the entire season, but turn it on when need be. For starters, scoring 40 points along with 11 rebounds and 13 assists in a finals game is absolutely insane. But what made it more special was that he did it without his co-pilots, in Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic. He also had to do it against two of the five best players in the world. This was a perfect example of putting a team on your back to try and get a win. This game also gave Jimmy Butler the respect from national people that everyone else has known for a while now.

Number 1:

Bam Adebayo’s Game Saving Block On Jayson Tatum

And no surprise here, one of greatest defensive plays in Miami Heat postseason history, which there’s a debate it could be number one. Just to focus on the play itself, a block to win a game is outstanding in itself. But doing it on a dunk attempt, which you use your off hand is on another level. And then to think of the stage that it’s on. Not many people have the ability to make that type of play physically, but Bam Adebayo is just a freak of nature. This block gave Miami a 1-0 lead in the series, and also gave Bam the notoriety that is much deserved. Some even began to talk about Bam as a rim protector, but clearly he is much more than that. This play is clearly the number one play of Miami’s hisorical playoff run.