New Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler remains on Miami Heat fans’ minds.
Miami finally dealt Butler in a five-team, nine-player trade last week. The six-time All-Star joined Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and a Warriors team seeking its fifth championship since 2015.
Butler tallied 25 points, two rebounds, four assists, a steal, and a block in the Warriors’ 132-111 comeback victory.
“It was a fun watch and I’m excited for what he’ll bring to that franchise,” Smokin_on_76ers_Pack wrote on Reddit. “Just kinda scares me how everyone’s is saying that it’s an upgrade over Wiggins.”
Wiggins refers to Andrew Wiggins, the 2014 No. 1 overall pick and newest Heat forward. The 2022 All-Star expects to make his Heat debut Monday against the Celtics.
“Of course he’s an upgrade over Wiggins,” surge123 responded. “It’s Jimmy Butler lol.”
But?
“But he’s getting older and wants 120 million for the next two years,” they continued. “It’s just not worth it.
“More than happy with the trade no matter how Jimmy performs this year,” they added. “He didn’t want to be here. So at least we got something [of] value for him.”
Miami also added Raptors guard Davion Mitchell and several draft picks in the Butler trade.
Golden State outscored Chicago by 16 points with Butler on the court.
“It kinda bothered me how engaged he looked,” TheKing_OA wrote. “Especially on defense. He was really moving.”
Added juspassingby: “He didn’t bother to play the last year and a half. Now he is bothering to put effort in. He’s an a-----e.”
Not all Heat fans tuned in to the Warriors’ impressive comeback, however.
“I can’t watch Jimmy,” BowserBuddy123 admitted. “Feels like watching an ex who you were really into who became crazy out of nowhere.”
ROBINSON PRAISES BUTLER
Miami Heat forward Duncan Robinson spent six seasons playing alongside All-Star Jimmy Butler.
Robinson didn’t need long to realize what made Butler special.
“He’s the only player I’ve seen—or at least the one who does it the most—where his competitive spirit and will are what separate him,” Duncan told the Young Man and the Three podcast.
“You look at his game, and yeah, he has skill,” Robinson continued. “Obviously, he’s got good footwork, he’s athletic, but there’s nothing extraordinary about anything he does other than his competitive spirit and will.”
WIGGINS TO JOIN LEBRON, SHAQ
Wiggins will join a rare club featuring two of the greatest players in league history.
Wiggins will become the fourth No. 1 pick to play for the Heat. He’ll join Shaquille O’Neal (1992), LeBron James (2003), and Greg Oden (2007) in the exclusive group.
The Heat have never selected first in the draft.
The Cleveland Cavaliers drafted Wiggins first in 2014. However, the team quickly traded him to Minnesota for All-Star forward Kevin Love.
Amusingly, Wiggins and Love are now teammates.
Wiggins’ entry into the small club could bode well for Miami. O’Neal and James each won championships during their Heat tenure.
Additionally, the Heat reached the Finals during Oden’s lone season in Miami. However, the San Antonio Spurs topped the Heat in 2014.
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