6 February 13-19, 2025 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times | music | cafe | culture | Night+Day | news | letters | coNteNts | 6 Month XX–Month XX, 2008 miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | ART | STAGE | NIGHT+DAY | METRO | RIPTIDE | LETTERS | CONTENTS | THE POST-BUTLER ERA BEGINS Five story lines Heat fans should be excited about. BY RYAN YOUSEFI J immy Butler is a member of the Golden State Warriors. Now we can all go on with our lives. Like him or loathe him, that’s how every- one woke up on Thursday morning to process the fact that the curtain had fallen on the for- mer star’s quiet-quitting saga, thanks to a deadline deal that sends Andrew Wiggins to Bayside and Jimmy Buckets to the Bay. As the children in this Jimmy-Heat di- vorce, it’s both a breath of fresh air and a de- pressing time to be a Heat fan. On one hand, good riddance. Ev- ery day that Jimmy Butler wasn’t traded was a wasted step to- ward the future of the franchise. On the other hand, change is never easy, and neither is starting over. Luckily for Heat fans, the worst day rooting for the Heat is bet- ter than the best day rooting for 75 percent of the NBA. Not only will fans recover, but it’s in- credibly easy to get over Jimmy Butler with so much to look forward to. With that in mind, here’s a countdown of five post-Butler story lines Heat fans should immediately be excited to follow. 5. Lottery Pick Implications Before diving into the most obvious rea- sons to pay attention to the Heat for the rest of this season, the most immediate but slept- on reason resides in the fine print. If they miss the playoffs, the Heat will owe a lottery- protected 2025 first-round pick to the Okla- homa City Thunder. But if Miami makes the playoffs, they convey their 2026 pick to OKC. For a franchise that whose current roster is made up of its own stellar previous first- round picks — think Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, Nikola Jović, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware, even the promising Pelle Larson, last season’s second-round pick — holding on to your draft capital means even more. The NBA draft also provided cheap labor in a league in which players (like Jimmy Butler) are de- manding their next $50 million before they put out the effort for the current one. The addition of Andrew Wiggins should so- lidify the Heat as a Top 6 Eastern Conference playoff team. That would automatically trans- late into their 2025 first-round pick in addition to the new (Top 10-protected) one acquired from Golden State on Wednesday night. 4. Pride in Heat Culture The mythical aura of “Heat Culture” took a massive hit this year thanks to Jimmy But- ler’s antics. The NBA team known least for malcontent and drama took an uppercut to the chin this season. But they’re still in the fight. The Miami Heat are synonymous with winning. A losing season — particularly one in which it appears they mailed in the final 20 to 30 games — would leave a further stain. On the flip side, a dramatic playoff run fueled by a young team no longer burdened by Jimmy Boat Anchor would be the ultimate statement, a defiant middle finger to doubters, including Butler. One time for the Culture, Miami. 3. Bam Adebayo: Face of the Franchise It’s Bam’s time. And the revolution will be televised. Whether it’ll pretty to watch is a different story. After years of sharing the spotlight, Bam Adebayo will finally get the opportunity to be the face of the franchise. Caught in the transi- tion from Dwyane Wade to Jimmy Butler ar- rival, Bam has never really been handed the reins, even as most have always believed he was being groomed for the role of the next Udonis Haslem. If you watch one thing the rest of the season, watch how Bam handles being needed more. 2. Tyler Herro’s Leap Few things mean more to the Miami Heat’s future than determining whether Ty- ler Herro can become a perennial All-Star guard. For all the attempts to trade Herro, it would be ironic if he became the untouchable asset crucial to a Heat championship run. All-Star Tyler Herro’s emergence as an All-Star-caliber player is absolutely reason to tune in. Herro’s evolution into a reliable scorer and playmaker is helping fill the void left by Jimmy Butler’s departure as the team’s primary leader. With Herro leading the charge, the Heat have a new star to rally be- hind in their pursuit of playoff success. 1. Youth Movement, Led by Ware Nothing matters more or will be more ex- citing to watch the rest of this season than how the Miami Heat’s young core progresses on the court. Specifically, how 2024 first- round draft pick and the odds-on favorite to win NBA Rookie of the Year Kel’el Ware plays paired with Bam. This season is also a showcase for Nikola Jovic, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and even Tyler Herro, who’s only 25. When the young (and, in Mi- ami’s case, cheaper) players on your roster step up, it makes roster construction and competing much easier. With Jimmy gone, the future is now — for the remainder of this season and in the NBA Draft, where Miami has a great chance of landing two picks in the Top 25. [email protected] Out with the old: Bam Adebayo is now the face of the Miami Heat. Photo by Andy Lyons via Getty Images | METRO | THE MYTHICAL AURA OF “HEAT CULTURE” TOOK A MASSIVE HIT THIS YEAR THANKS TO JIMMY BUTLER’S ANTICS.
