Butler saved the Heat from being stuck in mediocrity.
In an article yesterday, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald said that Kendrick Perkins said that the Miami Heat should consider trading Jimmy Butler and rebuild after the Heat fell down 3-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals.
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— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) June 3, 2022
That, of course, came before Butler’s masterpiece performance in Game 6 to force the series to a deciding Game 7. And in Game 7, Butler was again amazing, scoring 35 points and playing all 48 minutes.
LeBron G6 vs. Boston, 2012:
45-15-5 on 19-26 shootingJimmy G6 vs. Boston, 2022:
47-9-8 on 16-29 shooting— Justin Phan (@jphanned) May 28, 2022
As Jackson points out in the article, Zach Lowe responded to Perkins’ suggestion saying that, “Three or four years ago, this franchise looked dead in the water. Bad contracts. Picks out the door.” I even wrote an article in April 2019 detailing all the bad moves that stalled the Heat as a middling team in the post-LeBron era.
Butler’s desire to come to Miami saved the Heat. In his three years, the Heat have contended for a title twice. If Butler crumbled in the playoffs like he did in the 2021 sweep to the Milwaukee Bucks, a conversation about trading Butler would have been more plausible. But trading him after a historic playoff run makes no sense.
After coming within one shot of the NBA Finals, the Heat shouldn’t trade Butler. They should improve the roster around him.