The Miami Heat are Jimmy Butler and that can’t be lost this offseason.
Over the past 12 months, the Miami Heat has endured some of the highest of highest and some of the lowest of lowest in the NBA through the first two years of the Jimmy Butler era.
In the NBA’s restart bubble last season, the Heat made a magical run to the NBA Finals in which Jimmy made an even bigger name for himself on the national stage for what feels like the first time in his career.
This past season, the Heat never looked like their bubbles selves all season long and their up-and-down campaign finally came to a crashing end at the hands of the Milwaukee Bucks in the way of a first-round playoff sweep.
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Heading into an offseason in which the Heat has much more questions than answers, one of the team’s biggest pieces of agendas includes whether or not to sign Butler to a contract extension. And if so, where should the team draw the line in terms of money.
Butler is eligible to sign a four-year, $184 million contract extension which would pay him $50 million during his age 36-season. Even just the thought of such extension is already creating division amongst fans and media.
The Miami Heat need to do whatever they can to keep Jimmy Butler happy
For the Heat, though, it’s shouldn’t even be a difficult decision. For Miami, considering what it has battled through as a franchise since the departure of LeBron James, the Heat shouldn’t think twice about offering such an extension if that’s what Jimmy wants.
Of course, the Heat should go to the bargaining table. If it’s possible to find a middle ground between what Miami believes is fair-market value for Jimmy (assuming it differs) and a max extension that would pay him $50 million at 36 years old, then that should absolutely be the preferred outcome for the Heat.
However, if Jimmy walks into the negotiating room with the demand that it’s a max extension or he walks after the season, then the Heat should do absolutely what Jimmy wants.
The hit that the Heat took in terms of their culture and family talk when Dwyane Wade left in 2016 would be somewhat repaired if they take care of Jimmy (their new face of the franchise). Plus, Jimmy is everything that Heat preaches about their culture.
Jimmy is a hard-nosed worker, plays with a chip on his shoulder, and is a no-excuse type of star. He’s everything that the Heat projects to be as a franchise. For Miami to simply let that walk during the next offseason would be foolish, especially considering how Jimmy has elevated this franchise over the past two seasons.
The Heat is Jimmy and Jimmy is the Heat. Additionally, what is Miami going to pursue if they don’t pay Jimmy? Short of Kawhi Leonard leaving LA, the 2021 free agency class doesn’t have much in terms of elite talent. And unless Kevin Durant or James Harden is willing to break up what Brooklyn has going for them, there likely isn’t anything of substance in the 2022 free agency class either.
Anything further than that and the Heat would simply be kicking the can down too far down the road.
Jimmy might not be an ideal No. 1 in 2021, and who knows if his game will age well or not, but he’s everything that the Heat needs over the course of the next few seasons. After whiffing on Harden earlier this season, Miami can’t afford to play the “what if” game on another big free agency period in the future.
The Heat has its star. It needs to take care of it and successfully build around it.