Q: Well, at least we know now that Jimmy Butler will have to ride Steph Curry’s coattails, because just like with the Heat, he couldn’t get it done by himself. The Heat had the best player on the court on Tuesday and maybe the second and third best, too. It never was about winning for Jimmy, it was about the contract. Good, let him enjoy another trip to the play-in – unless Steph carries him somewhere else. – Tony.
A: First, had Stephen Curry been available Tuesday night, a different outcome would have been highly likely, at least when it came to the final margin. Jimmy Butler continually found open teammates, and those open teammates continually missed open shots. At this point, Jimmy Butler is not a standalone star, which he seems to recognize, continuing to show limited lift. But he does work well with other veterans. Curry-Butler has been formidable and will continue to be formidable, with the pairing listed in that order of importance to the Warriors. With the Heat, Butler often was charged with working with developing talent, players such as Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro, who remain in their formative years. For Jimmy, Stephen Curry is the right player at the right time. But without Stephen Curry, there could be more ordinary nights for Jimmy such as Tuesday.
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Q: Ira, isn’t the Jimmy Butler situation really about a guy who doesn’t keep his word? Sorry, Dwyane Wade, but nowhere else in the world but the NBA do we have people who sign a contract and then think it is fine to not honor the contract. Butler was fine in taking the Heat’s money this season, but refused to put in the work to earn it. It was basically stealing, or even worse, because he was also sabotaging the season for the Heat. Yet you have all of the former players praising Jimmy for what he did. If he had had a major injury so he couldn’t play this year before being traded, I don’t think he would have complained about his contract for this season. The NBA and the owners really need to get some backbone or every contract situation will become like this. Pat Riley was wrong for shooting off his mouth, but he wasn’t the one stealing someone’s money. And what happened to “Jimmy’s guys,” the Heat players who he left twisting in the wind playing extra minutes or expending extra energy while Jimmy stood in the corner laughing to himself? – Rich. Plantation.
A: Which is why I found nothing to be warm and fuzzy about Tuesday night’s game. Jimmy Butler sold out his teammates so he could sell himself. But you also have to accept that the sporting realm is a different world when it comes to contracts and salaries. To a degree, the problem is that we almost come to know too much about such situations, to the degree that robs some of the escapism that sports was designed to be. As for owners standing up to such shenanigans, Pat Riley did just that with the three unpaid suspensions.
Q: Ira, what does Erik Spoelstra see in Alec Burks? He is on a one-year contract, so why not start Pelle Larsson and develop a rookie? – Allan.
A: With Duncan Robinson out Tuesday with a back issue, there was a need for a 3-point shooting and spacing, something that Pelle Larsson does not exactly provide at this juncture. It also shows how limited the Heat’s 3-point depth stands. If not for Burks’ contribution Tuesday night, it could have been a far different story for the Heat. Still, if Stephen Curry had been available for the Warriors, it is quite possible that Davion Mitchell could have started for defensive purposes. In this case, Erik Spoelstra’s Burks hunch paid off, with Duncan Robinson out.
