Like him or loathe him, that's how everyone woke up on Thursday morning to process the fact that the curtain had fallen on the former 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 divorce, it's both a breath of fresh air and a depressing time to be a Heat fan. On one hand, good riddance. Every day that Jimmy Butler wasn't traded was a wasted step toward 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 better than the best day rooting for 75 percent of the NBA. Not only will fans recover, but it's incredibly 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 reasons 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 Oklahoma 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 demanding their next $50 million before they put out the effort for the current one.
The addition of Andrew Wiggins should solidify the Heat as a Top 6 Eastern Conference playoff team. That would automatically translate into their 2025 first-round pick in addition to the new (Top 10-protected) one acquired from Golden State on Wednesday night.
Tyler Herro leads Heat Culture forward, post-Jimmy Butler.
Photo by Harry How/Getty Images
4. Pride in Heat Culture
The mythical aura of "Heat Culture" took a massive hit this year thanks to Jimmy Butler'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.
Out with the old: Bam Adebayo is now the face of the Miami Heat.
Photo by Andy Lyons via Getty Images
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 transition from Dwyane Wade to Jimmy Butler arrival, 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 Tyler 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 behind in their pursuit of playoff success.
1. Youth Movement, Led by Ware
Nothing matters more or will be more exciting 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 Jović, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and even Tyler Herro, who's only 25. When the young (and, in Miami'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.
