For the past two months, the Miami Heat organization engaged in a cold war with their superstar Jimmy Butler. Three suspensions and a stalemate later, he is finally off to the Golden State Warriors. The end of the saga comes as a relief for the players and the members of the team. All this time, they have had to deal with pressing questions and mental disturbance of the discourse within the team. Still, there may not be a more relieved man than Udonis Haslem.
Although retired, Haslem was a Heat soldier who spent his career with the franchise. Highly regarded as the voice of the locker room, the Heat legend must have felt the pain of watching the Butler situation take dramatic turns. As close as he was with the disgruntled star, there was only one thing he said about the situation. “You’re either in or you’re out and there’s no in-between”.
Now, with the room clear of all the tension, Haslem’s smile returned.
UB offered a short prayer on the sets of NBA on ESPN before divulging the benefits the 18 other Heat players will get from this deal. “I have just been waiting to exhale. It has been mentally, emotionally, and physically draining in this period of time for everyone. So I am quite happy that we finally got it figured out, and the guys in the locker room can quite the noise and play with a clear mind,” Haslem explained.
At the same time though, Udonis Haslem doesn’t underestimate or wish bad for Jimmy Butler. He acknowledged him as a ‘big dog’ who can help the Warriors in their push for the playoffs. However, if you are a Heat fan, any exchange for an absent Jimmy Butler would be great. In this case, they may have gotten the perfect player for the system.
Andrew Wiggins could be the player the Heat need
When you speak of Jimmy Butler’s Heat stint, one would recall his unforgettable postseason performances. Well, Andrew Wiggins is a player with a similar upside. The two-way forward plays both sides of the ball well. His tenacity and energy symbolize how the Miami Heat plays their brand of basketball.
And this year is shaping up to be one of the former number one overall pick’s best.
Averaging 17.6 points per game, it’s the 29-year-old’s highest mark in the last four seasons. Additionally, his three-point shooting provides Miami with another dimension to their offense. Playing besides a rim protector such as Bam Adebayo also unlocks a pathway to Andrew Wiggins realizing his defensive potential.
He has been stellar for the Warriors throughout the campaign. In his last eight games, he breached 20 points four times. On certain nights, Wiggins was the focal attacking threat with Stephen Curry struggling for consistency. Mainly though, the former Wolves forward plays with great effort, a huge part of the infamous Heat Culture.
With a system built upon discipline and playing hard, the Heat have got themselves an attractive star. With a rising scorer like Tyler Herro and Adebayo sharing the floor with him, Miami looks daunting. And if Andrew Wiggins buys into their culture, who knows, maybe another improbable playoff run could be around the corner.
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