Amid the ongoing controversy unfolding in Miami right now, various prominent NBA figures have spoken up either for or against the actions of Jimmy Butler. Former defense star Tony Allen became the latest to chime in on the subject when he called out the disgruntled Heat star over wanting money he hasn’t earned.
“For a guy that played 75 percent during the regular season; how are you going to ask for max money when you only want to play one part of the season? It’s a culture,” said Allen on KG Certified. “You know what this culture is about. You know how I give the bread. Come win something for me. Then we can holler.”
Butler, 35, started on good terms with the Miami Heat but after years of treating the regular season like a joke, the 6x All-Star began to wear out his welcome. Things finally reached a breaking point over the summer when, after Pat Riley told Butler to “keep his mouth shut” on talking about their opponents, the Heat refused to offer an extension that would have added several more years to his contract.
Things were never the same after that, and when rumors began to expose the issues in the locker room, Butler decided to part ways and sever all ties. But in Allen’s view, Butler never should have asked for a max extension to begin with given how inconsistent he’s been over the years.
Since his arrival in 2019, Butler has yet to play in more than 65 games in a season for the Heat and he’s already played in three with less than 60 games. Over the years, Jimmy’s knack for disappearing in the regular season has put the Heat in some pretty tough situations and some might say it’s even cost them a championship run.
This season, in 22 games, Butler’s stats are down across the board with averages of 17.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game on 55.2% shooting. The Heat have been mediocre at best with a 19-17 record through the first 36 games.
Butler’s reputation for being a playoff performer is often played up as being a good thing but he should be expected to play elite basketball all year round if he’s truly a max player for the Heat. So without the track record or results to show for his tenure, it’s no wonder why Riley and other Heat personnel have turned on him.
The only path to redemption now for Jimmy is to help his next team on a successful playoff run and prove that he can be there for the entirety of a season rather than just for the final few months. Whether he’s traded to the Suns or stays with the Heat for a little while longer, Jimmy has a lot to prove and his spotty track record has not gone unnoticed by those in the NBA community.
While Butler’s suspension won’t lift until next week, the Heat play tomorrow, against the Los Angeles Clippers at Intuit Dome at 10:30 PM EST. On Wednesday, January 15th, the Heat play the Lakers at the Cypto.com arena before a showdown against the Denver Nuggets at home on January 17th.
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