Jimmy Butler is capable of being the No. 1 option on a champion team, as is now evident. He has guided the Miami Heat to two Finals in four seasons, establishing eye-catching statistics and largely following through on big predictions. His standing among the top players in the game is now settled.
Butler’s ultimate objective is still a mystery to him. In each of the previous two years, he has failed to deliver on his forecasts of a title, most recently in the 2023 Finals when they were defeated by the Denver Nuggets in five games. Butler’s window is closing as he approaches 33. In order to maintain that window, the Heat have spent the last two summers trying to trade for another superstar.
Butler has less work to do if the Heat can execute a trade for Damian Lillard. He already uses his regular-season energies to wait till a playoff push. Butler averaged 22.9 points on 53.9% shooting, 5.9 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.8 steals during the previous regular season. Between Kristaps Porzingis and Jalen Green, he was the 33rd highest-scoring player in the NBA.
Butler had a huge game against the top-seeded Bucks in the first round after the Heat just made it into the playoffs as the No. 8 seed. In five games, he scored 37.6 points on 59.7% shooting, grabbed 6 rebounds, and dished out 4.8 assists. Butler averaged 26.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game during the postseason. He placed seventh in scoring among players who made it past the first round, one spot ahead of LeBron James and behind Jayson Tatum. Much better choice of firm.
It’s reasonable to ponder how long Butler can continue. By the time he made it to the Finals, he was exhausted and scored just 21.6 points on 41.3% of his shots. Once more, here is where a co-star is useful.
Butler and Bam Adebayo could concentrate on their strengths, which are to defend admirably and create opportunities for teammates, if there was a reliable scoring option like Lillard on the squad. In a playoff game, scoring 30 points would become a luxury rather than a necessity.
Without a star trade, the Heat will rely on Tyler Herro and Adebayo, who have combined for a 20-point average over the past two seasons. After the Heat failed to trade for Kevin Durant or Donovan Mitchell last year, the same thing happened. They reached the Finals, but it was a difficult road to travel and they ultimately fell short.
At this stage of his career, pushing Butler to accomplish more doesn’t seem reasonable. Over the past four years, he has played more regular-season and postseason minutes than Giannis Antetokounmpo, Chris Paul, and a close second to LeBron James. This summer, Paul joined the Warriors, where he may not be one of their top three scoring options. Austin Reaves and Anthony Davis now have more authority over James. Butler is aware that he cannot undertake the labor-intensive tasks alone, yet he is still capable of the occasional retro performance, like his colleagues.
Nobody questions Butler’s greatness, but the Heat are aware that he needs support. The Heat will look to add a star who can share the scoring load before the trade deadline in February. Butler’s window can quickly close if they are unable to.