The Miami Heat may have lost their top trade target this summer, but Jimmy Butler doesn’t feel any differently about his team’s chances this season than he did at the start of the summer. In fact, in a chat with reporters, he denounced any of the doubters who think that the Heat don’t have what it takes to win the East for the second straight year.
“Nobody’s gonna pick us, ever,” said Butler. “Nobody’s gonna pick us this year. No one’s ever gonna pick any team that I’m on, which is great, because I don’t give a f**k and I don’t like none of y’all anyways.”
Once again the Miami Heat are entering the season as underdogs, but they’ve thrived in this position for years now. Right as everyone in the East is ready to count them out, they always prove to be a threat and this year, it’s shaping up to follow that same pattern. Even with the Bucks and Celtics strengthening their roster, there is a sense from those on the Heat that they can beat any team that stands in their way.
Miami Heat Are The Biggest Losers Of The Summer
No matter who tries to deny it, the Miami Heat were shooting for the stars this summer with hopes of uniting Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo with superstar guard Damian Lillard. Since Lillard specifically requested to join the Heat (and no other team) it was assumed by many that he’d end up there at some point in the near future. Blazers GM Joe Cronin, however, had other ideas and essentially ignored Miami in favor of a deal with the Bucks.
So, without their point guard, and in the wake of several of their own players leaving for other teams, the Heat did not have the kind of summer that everyone was expecting and experts are projecting them to fall several rungs down the ladder of contention this season. But no matter where you stand on the Miami Heat as presently constructed, you cannot count them out completely with Jimmy, Bam, and head coach Erik Spoelstra leading the way. As they’ve shown plenty of times already, underestimating their potential is one of the biggest mistakes any competitor can make.
Can The Heat Win The East?
Last season, Miami struggled to find consistency and finished 8th in the East with a 44-38 record. They were mere minutes away from losing the play-in tournament before they made a run to the Finals, where they lost to the Denver Nuggets in just five games. This time, they have pretty much the same squad except for Max Strus and Gabe Vincent. To replace them, Miami will have to look at the younger guys to fill the void, which is why rookies such as Jaime Jaques Jr. and Nikola Jovic are expected to get some minutes early on.
Of course, the Heat will be facing some steep competition in the East. With the Knicks, Nets, Hawks, Pacers, Raptors, 76ers, Bucks, and Celtics all expected to be vying for playoff spots this season, avoiding the play-in tournament will be no easy feat. But for the reigning Eastern Conference champions, nobody will be taking them lightly and their threat in the postseason will be the same regardless of where they finish in the standings. Jimmy Butler alone is enough to ensure some degree of success for Miami.
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