The Miami Heat is set to get a rude reminder of how much they actually miss Jimmy Butler.
When the Miami Heat traded Jimmy Butler just before the NBA Trade Deadline, there was almost a sense of relief. It was as if the Heat had side-stepped a potential disaster and made the best out of a messy situation by acquiring Klay Thompson, Davion Mitchell, Kyle Anderson, and a future first-round pick. In theory, there was some credence to that. However, you also can't argue with the on-the-court results.
And the results have not been kind to the Heat. Since Miami traded Jimmy to the Warriors, the two franchises have gone in completely different directions. Since the trade, the Heat has gone just 5-17. On the contrary, since acquiring Jimmy, the Warriors are 16-3 when he's on the floor.
The Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors are headed in opposite directions
Before the trade for Jimmy, there were concerns about whether the Warriors were going to miss the postseason entirely. Now, they're just a couple of games out of a potential top-5 seed in the Western Conference. Miami has dipped all the way down to 10th in the conference, with no shot of finishing outside the Play-In Tournament anymore.
It's been a tale of two stories during the second half of the season for both the Heat and Warriors. When Jimmy makes his return to Miami Tuesday night, the Heat are going to get a rude reminder of just how much they miss his presence in the locker room and talent on the team.
The Warriors are going to come in red-hot, looking to build on the momentum from the past few weeks while the Heat will be looking to not to end the season on such a sour note. Miami will be like a broken team that is just waiting for the season to end while the Warriors have a new-found zen for life. All of a sudden, there's a growing belief that, with the addition of Jimmy, the Warriors could reemerge as a potential championship contender in the West.
Who knows if it will certainly come to fruition, but it's not that outlandish of an idea with the way the team has been playing of late. Naturally, the Heat will be left wondering, "What if?"
Jimmy's end in Miami will not be remembered as a kind one. It was abrupt and while both sides certainly needed it, I'm not sure if it ended up being the best for Miami. The Heat and the fan base are going to relive it all once again when Jimmy strolls back into town this week. But this time around, Jimmy has his joy back. And, all of a sudden, it seems as if the Heat has lost theirs.