It has been several weeks since Jimmy Butler was traded to the Golden State Warriors but somehow, his name continues to dominate the Miami Heat headlines.
Of course, the Warriors' form since acquiring Butler is a big reason behind that. They have lost only twice when he has been on the court.
On the other hand, the Heat look like a sinking ship at the moment. They are currently on a nine-game losing streak and have dropped down to 10th in the East.
While the Heat are likely to finish in a play-in spot, it is very clear that they need to improve drastically.
Pat Riley has been on the receiving end of a ton of criticism in the aftermath of the Butler trade as well and the Heat's form since then has not helped matters in that regard.
But while speaking on Run It Back, Chandler Parsons said regarding the matter: "They had to do this. So it's like when the Heat are trying to look for blame, ‘Oh, Pat Riley was wrong', I don't see it like that. I see like his hand was forced. He got the best non leverage deal that he possibly had at the time.
"Does it look bad? Like I said that they're the Warriors are ballin' and Jimmy Butler's fitting in, and that he looks like he has never been happier singing the praises of that franchise. Yeah, I guess optically that looks bad.
"But the end of the day, they have Tyler Herro. They have Bam, they have the city of Miami, that is always going to attract free agents, and this is something that they had to do this summer, or they were simply going to lose him for nothing."
Butler has taken to like as a Warrior like a duck to water. They are now winning all types of games, whether they be close ones or one-sided contests. They could give a lot of teams nightmares in the playoffs.
As for the Heat, yes, they still have Herro and Adebayo. But if there is one thing we have learnt over the past few weeks, it is that neither of them is capable of being the face of a franchise and led them to consistent wins.
Do not get us wrong, they are good players. But their ceiling seems to be second and third options on a team, not the main guy, which Butler was.
Will the Heat go searching for Batman in the summer or remain content with the duo of Robin and Robin? We will find out in the offseason.
Related: Miami Heat Legend Sends Jimmy Butler Warning to Golden State Warriors
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This story was originally published March 21, 2025 at 5:38 AM.