Jimmy Butler leaving the Miami Heat for the Golden State Warriors before the trade deadline has certainly shaken up the landscape of the NBA.
Suddenly, the Warriors are looking like Championship contenders again. Stephen Curry has rediscovered his MVP form, Draymond Green has declared they'll win a ring and the role players are flourishing. The 'Jimmy Butler Effect' seems to be a very real thing.
It has been the opposite for the Heat. They are currently on a six-game losing streak and a play-in spot is the best they can hope for.
When they had Butler, the Heat knew they could even make a deep playoff run even from this situation. That is no longer the case.
Butler had guided them the Heat to two NBA Finals and there had been suggestions in the past that he would like to finish his career in Miami. So, why exactly did he decide to leave and in such a messy manner?
According to Marc J. Spiers on Andscape, Butler wanted to be traded because he felt the Heat were moving in a direction without him in mind and he wanted to be more valued. Also, he felt wanted by the Warriors.
Of course, one cannot overlook the fact that the Warriors handed him a two-year, $111 million contract extension. The Heat did not seem keen to hand Butler a new deal, which was the beginning of the end in the eyes of many.
At the end of the day, it is Butler who seems to have come out on top. He has a new contract and the chance to compete for a Championship alongside players who have already won multiple and know what it takes to get to the mountaintop.
If Playoff Jimmy shows up, it might be 'night, night' for a lot of teams around the league.
Related: Golden State Warriors Star Wanted to be Traded to Miami Heat Instead of Andrew Wiggins
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This story was originally published March 15, 2025 at 10:01 AM.