Let me just get this straight – today I’m digging into the Jimmy Butler trade buzz around Miami, right? It all started when my phone practically blew up with ESPN alerts last Tuesday. Said something about Pat Riley maybe shopping Jimmy. My first damn thought? “Hell no, Miami would be stupid as hell.”
Here’s how I pulled this thing apart
First thing I did was call up Jake, my buddy who knows equipment guys across teams. Dude’s got ears everywhere. He straight up laughed when I asked about Jimmy leaving Miami. “They can’t even move him if they wanted! Dude’s got 2 more years plus that giant player option!” Then Jake whispered about Miami having zero good picks to attach as sweeteners.
Later I sat down scrolling through Capulator – God that site looks like shit but gets the job done. Plugged in Butler’s $48 mil next season and Bam’s deal. Total cap nightmare with their new penalties. Found out:
- No trade machines actually work unless Miami takes garbage contracts back
- They’d have to dump 3 other guys just to make salaries match with most teams
- That poison pill trade exception they’re holding? Expires before offseason even starts
You know what really makes no damn sense? Jimmy built that exact Heat culture Riley loves! Dude shows up at practice at 4am drenched in sweat after shooting 500 jumpers. They’d literally be trading their own DNA.
Where this went sideways
Remember that Knicks reporter ranting on ESPN last week? About “internal friction” between Jimmy and Spo? Yeah I asked around. Turns out Spoelstra got pissed when Butler started doing full court sprints during timeouts. Not because he was angry – man was worried Jimmy would tear something before playoffs! Typical Jimmy shit!
My phone dinged again last night. Jake texted: “Check Portland’s beat writer tweets from 4 hours ago bro”. Scrolled down – some assistant GM anonymously told them Miami hasn’t answered a single Butler call. Not even polite “fuck off”. Just radio silence.
How this hits home
This whole circus reminded me of summer ’20. Was training high school kids when my last boss suddenly called – said corporate wanted me gone cause I “didn’t fit branding”. Found out later some VP nephew took my spot. Screamed into pillows for 3 days straight.
Then randomly I tried writing that piece analyzing Bam’s pick-and-roll D. Posted it on my blog at 2am drunk as hell. Woke up to 48k views. Now look at me – making triple doing exactly what I love. Sometimes getting shoved out forces you into better shit.
But Miami? They ain’t stupid enough to shove out their heart.
