- Sommer Brugal
- ,
- Martin Vassolo
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Teammate Kevin Love (right) documented Jimmy Butler’s trade saga on social media. Photo: Megan Briggs/Getty Images
Following Jimmy Butler’s trade, Miami Heat players and fans seem to be juggling a mixture of grief and relief — and who can blame them?
- He led the team to two NBA Finals, mentored young players and reignited Miami’s love for the game.
- But his behavior in the final weeks here left a sour taste for some.
State of play: In the hours following the trade, Heat fan pages weren’t posting videos of jersey burnings or other acts of erasure.
What they’re saying: After Wednesday night’s Heat win against Philadelphia, Nikola Jovic called Butler his brother, telling reporters he didn’t know where he’d be “if it wasn’t for him.”
- Guard Terry Rozier, predicted the trade will take “a huge weight off everybody’s shoulders” and allow the team to move forward, the Miami Herald reported.
- Coach Erik Spoelstra asked reporters to table questions related to the trade, promising he’d “give [them] an answer” later.
Kevin Love, as usual, made his true feelings known on social media, where for weeks he’d been documenting the saga through video clips.
Meanwhile, Butler on Wednesday posted a snippet of a song with the caption “welcome to the wild wild west.”
- As of Thursday night, he had yet to post a goodbye message to his fans or teammates.
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