MIAMI – With the trade of the Miami Heat sending Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors as a part of a multi-team deal made official, the team introduced the newest members of the team in Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson, and Davion Mitchell. As Wiggins spoke about the similarities between the Heat and Warriors, the other pieces in the trade spoke about fitting into the famed culture that is attached to the team.
Before Wiggins, Anderson, or Mitchell took questions from the media, team president Pat Riley would have an opening statement about his new stars. He would mention that besides having a “tremendous amount” of sympathy for players starting a new life with Miami, the three players do fit the aforementioned culture that the team has had in place for years.
“I just want to welcome Kyle, Wiggs and Davion to the Heat,” Riley said. “I know it’s not easy, it’s not at all, I have a tremendous amount of compassion and empathy, I really, for people who have to move around, I moved around four or five times in my short career. It’s not easy. I just want to make it very comfortable for them. Whatever they need right now in this transition with themselves and their family and stuff. They are now officially part of what we do believe in, which is our culture here with the Heat. And we believe they are perfect players to be part of that. I think they’ll show it. So, welcome guys.”
Kyle Anderson on witnessing “Heat Culture” first-hand
Anderson originally was to be dealt to the Toronto Raptors from Miami according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, but it would fall through. Now that he’s with the team, the veteran brings his experience and basketball intelligence to the Heat as he’s noticed in the past how hard they play compared to other teams while providing an anecdote.
“I think my first impression and what I’ve heard and seen over the past, you know, aligned up pretty well,” Anderson said. “You know, every time we [Warriors] play the Heat, when I’m on another team, you know, guys are playing hard, they bring it every time. I mean, I think we [Warriors] played them, they were on the second half of the back-to-back after playing SAC [Kings], and they came into Golden State and whooped our ass. Just like, you know, these guys played tough, they play hard. You could hear the coaches communicating from the bench all game like their bench is engaged. So you could kind of see what’s going on. And I’m just excited to be a part of it now.”
Davion Mitchell is a perfect fit for the Heat
As the Heat reflects on trading away Butler, the return is one that’s filled with players ready to produce immediately like Wiggins and Anderson, but quite possibly the most underrated is Davion Mitchell from the Raptors. Mitchell was selected with the ninth overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft where he has excelled on defense, even earning the nickname “Off-Night” which is usually what happens to opposing players he faces.
He has the quintessential mold for Miami due to his defensive intensity as the team relies on that aspect for their identity, leading him to say Sunday morning how “super excited” he is and how he’ll “fit right in.”
“Man, I’m super excited,” Mitchell said. “Even my rookie year, seeing Miami, seeing the culture and seeing how hard they play, I mean, I think honestly I’m going to fit right in. Go out there, be myself, and be a defensive presence, show that from Day 1, be an anchor in the front guarding the best player, whoever’s got the ball, trying to turn them over, trying to speed them up, just trying to do things that they don’t want to do.”
At any rate, Anderson, Mitchell, and Wiggins are expected to be made available Monday night when the Heat (25-25) host the Boston Celtics.
