NBA
ASK IRA: Which would be lesser of two evils for Heat in NBA Finals: Celtics or Mavericks title?
Q: Ira, who do you think the Heat are rooting for in the NBA Finals? Don’t they hate both teams? – Andy.
A: I doubt “hate” is a factor with either side of the equation. Yes, the Heat’s greatest playoff battles have come against the Celtics in recent years, and, yes, there remains what the Mavericks did to the Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals. But Paul Pierce has been gone from the Celtics for years, so that greatest source of annoyance has been removed from that side of the equation. And Mark Cuban no longer can crow about the Mavericks from their perspective of majority owner. From an internal perspective, the Celtics losing might be the best outcome for the Heat, perhaps getting Boston to rethink spending to the moon and back to keep the current rendition in place. As a bonus, it also would mean former Heat favorite Derrick Jones Jr. getting to share in a championship with the Mavericks. Or perhaps the Heat simply will turn their attention to hockey and the Panthers.
Q: Hi Ira. I’m honestly very surprised by the number of “dump Jimmy” comments you’ve been receiving (or at least choosing to print) as of late. You can check my math, but I think since arriving here, JB’s been in the NBA top 10 for win shares every single year except this past season. That’s a peer group that includes Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, and other household names. He didn’t give us his best this past year for sure, through a combo of injury, possibly fatigue and taking his foot off the gas sometimes. But I’d put a lot more faith in his ability to get back to at least near his 2019-2023 level than in whatever people think we’re going to get back for him in a trade. We matter because Jimmy is here. I think we’re not quite championship level with Jimmy-Bam Adebayo-Tyler Herro, especially with Boston as they are and assuming Philly picks up Paul George, but Jimmy’s shown that he gives us a puncher’s chance at least every series. And if he hadn’t gotten hurt, we definitely looked like we would have taken that No. 7 seed from Philly and possibly gotten to wait a round or two before eventually getting wiped out by Boston. – Phillip, San Francisco.
A: I, too, have been surprised by how quickly some of the perspective on Jimmy Butler has changed. But I also believe some of it is self-perpetuated, feeding into the narrative of downplaying the regular season. What fans respect nearly as much as winning and playoff success is effort. The perception this past season – again, to a degree fostered by Jimmy – was that the best effort was not always there. Even something as simple as talking the talk could put sentiment back on Jimmy’s side.
Q: If you consider replacing Jimmy Butler with any level of equivalency, it seems to me that the Heat cannot simply say that if they cannot get the equivalency of a leading man, they will simply have to cave in and pay Jimmy Butler because if they don’t he will become a malcontent without getting that extension money and try to directly or indirectly force his way out of Miami. The Heat likely have to consider his age and the fact that he was far from being a leading man for the Heat this past season. In the last two seasons, Butler has not shown a propensity to make the regular season a meaningful priority. His attitude toward the regular season is certainly an issue. His postseason success last year likely supports that attitude in his mind. Pat Riley lamented that lack of regular-season availability and effort in his postseason comments, just like he did with Kyle Lowry’s non- “world class shape” after last season. I remain confident that Heat management will consider all factors in deciding what to do with Butler. – Michael, North Miami Beach.
A: The question is not necessarily whether you would get something better, but whether it is time for something different, be it with Jimmy Butler or elsewhere on the roster. On one hand, the Heat rarely have given in to any call for change on the coaching or front-office side, but have shown a willingness to shake up the roster when expectations go unmet. So the question now is whether different can spark better. Or whether the different can be continued growth from within.
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