A Miami Heat insider has pinpointed when things started to change between Jimmy Butler and the Heat organization.
Miami insider Ethan Skolnick has revealed when he thinks things started to change for Jimmy and the Heat.
“The Heat thought that after a very strong training camp that Jimmy was going to play this season out, play hard,” Skolnick said on Five on the Floor. “Something happened after Phoenix visited them on December 7th. Something happened.”
Now, Skolnick doesn’t reveal what that something actually was, but one can only speculate that someone from the Suns had words with Butler, or even a secret meeting.
The insider also said, “The Heat maintain that they thought after a very strong training camp, Jimmy was going to play this season [and] play hard.”
Interestingly, insider Shams Charania reported Dec. 11 that Butler had indicated he’d be open to joining the Suns, but before then, Shams only initiialy linked him Charania initially linked him to the Mavericks, Warriors and Rockets the day prior.
The Jimmy trade rumors started up when neither side could agree on a contract extension, since he was eligible for one last summer.
Butler was reportedly disappointed with the Heat when the team declined to offer him a 2-year, $113 million contract extension during the summer.
The relationship also began to decline when Heat president Pat Riley publicly criticized Butler’s durability during the end-of-season press conference in sprin of last year.
Despite all the drama, the Heat are not giving up on their season, as Jake Fischer said Saturday that the team haven’t let injuries, inconsistent veteran performances, and nonstop Butler circus take its toll.
“The Heat, to be clear, remain focused on competing for the playoffs … rather than straying into lottery land,” Fischer said.
Miami had a big double OT win against the Magic on Monday, where Herro scored 30 points and Bam Adebayo finished one assist shy of a triple-double with 26 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists.
In front of the Miami crowd, the win felt a big like an ‘F*** you Jimmy, we can do it without you.’”
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