Focusing only on the results of each of the Miami Heat's deep playoff runs with Jimmy Butler as their leader, the team was successful without winning a championship.
However, a significant reason for the Heat's success in the 2023 NBA Finals was because they weren’t expected to make it as far as they did as a play-in team. While Butler's absence wasn’t the only reason they were in the play-in tournament, the best player's lack of playing time hinders most teams from rising in the standings.
Not reaching the minimum game requirement was one of the main reasons the Heat didn’t want to give Butler a max extension at 35. He missed 18 games in 2023 and missed 22 games in 2024, which resulted in two consecutive play-in berths. Butler was injured in their most recent play-in matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers.
On Gil’s Arena Podcast, Tim Hardaway Sr. shared his thoughts on why he was so disappointed with Butler’s situation on the Heat ended before his trade to the Golden State Warriors.
“What I was mad with Jimmy is, you’re under contract,” Hardaway explained. “You're trying to get back at Pat, but you’re not getting back at Pat. You’re hurting your teammates. Them guys come in and work every day. They expect you to work every day, and you crying because he told you no.
Hardaway later accused Butler of intentionally missing games despite not having a legitimate injury to keep him out.
“The only thing he wanted you to do is play more games,” Hardaway continued. “I don’t want to be in the play-in games anymore. I want to be in the playoffs and have a week off, and I want to prepare to be ready for our opponent. We would be fresh. Jimmy didn’t want to do that. Jimmy wanted to do what he continued to do and take games off. He wasn’t hurt. He was just taking games off.”
TYLER HERRO OPENS UP ABOUT THE MIAMI HEAT’S CHANCES WITHOUT JIMMY BUTLER
The Miami Heat have made three Eastern Conference and two Finals appearances since 2020.
Unfortunately, Jimmy Butler led the team each of those years. Since trading him to the Golden State Warriors, the Heat’s roster has been the youngest in many years.
Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo are the remaining stars who will lead the Heat’s younger players. Both of them are entering their prime years and are several years under 30. Herro has played at an All-Star level for most of this year, and Bam Adebayo has returned to his All-Star caliber since moving to power-forward alongside Kel’el Ware.
During All-Star weekend, Herro was asked about the Heat’s expectations for the rest of the year. He was honest about the difficulty of succeeding in the playoffs, and the team's still adjusting to losing Butler for the first time.
“I don’t think people realize how hard it is to win a championship,” Herro said. “Everything has to fall in line. But I think right now, we started the season with Jimmy saying we’re gonna try to win a championship. I think, obviously, if we’re calling a spade a spade, we’re not contenders right now.”
The Heat are 12-16 without Butler this year. The good news is their losing record hasn’t factored in the new additions they acquired at the trade deadline. Andrew Wiggins and Davion Mitchell have already shown how much they bolster the team’s defense. After the All-Star break, the Heat's goal is to fix their offense, which will require contributions from their young core of Ware, Nikola Jovic, and Jaime Jaquez.
“But I think with the team we’re trying to put together, we have a lot of young guys that can really help us win,” Herro continued. “Kel’el Ware’s coming into his own, Niko Jovic, and Jaquez. I think we have a lot of young guys that are starting to really see where their role can be with the new roster we have.”
NBA CHAMPION PRAISES MIAMI HEAT’S KEL’EL WARE FOR “LIMITLESS” POTENTIAL
After not being in the Miami Heat’s rotation for the majority of the first half of the season, Kel’el Ware has thrived ever since he became their new starting center.
Since earning starter minutes, Ware has averaged 12.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks on 47.3 percent shooting and 23.6 percent from three-point range.
Standing at 7 feet, Ware gave the Heat much-needed size alongside Bam Adebayo. The big man duo has raised their defensive ceiling, as Ware protects the rim and Adebayo roams all over the court as a phenomenal help-defender.
While his offensive skills aren’t as polished yet, Ware gives Tyler Herro another lob threat whenever he drives to the basket. His size has also allowed him to take advantage of potential offensive rebounds and putback baskets.
Bobby Portis wasn’t surprised by Ware’s sudden rise to a starting position as a rookie. In an interview with NBA.com’s Steve Aschburner, Portis explained how he heard of his talent back when Ware was in grade school.
“Heard about him when he was in sixth grade,” Portis said. “He had a lot of raw talent, but at first, his biggest thing was he didn’t have a motor. He didn’t really play hard. I like that he’s with the Heat because, obviously, they’ll instill that motor in him. He’ll work, and then he’ll just keep getting better. His upside is limitless.”
The Heat are moving in a much younger direction after trading Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors. Ware is undoubtedly one of the key players for their future success. Portis believes landing with the Heat was a perfect fit for his career improvement if he continues to work hard.
“He’s got a super-bright future,” Portis continued. “A chance to make a lot of money. He’s got to keep his head on straight. Stay out of trouble. Keep working hard. He’s with a great organization to keep him focused. But the biggest things are staying confident, and going out there, and stacking good game after good game. See where you end up at.”
Bryan Townes is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at [email protected] or on X @bryantownesjr11. Follow our coverage on Facebook.
