After months of distractions, the Miami Heat are now finally rid of Jimmy Butler thanks to a five-team blockbuster trade that sent him to the Golden State Warriors. While they may not have gotten significantly better from the trade that sent them Andrew Wiggins and a protective first-round pick, they likely will be relieved to move on from an increasingly ugly situation. However, it appears that they may have taken a parting shot at their former player.
Wiggins, who wore the number 22 jersey while a member of the Warriors, will also wear 22 with the Heat. That is notable because that is the same number that Butler wore during his six seasons there and may hint that the Heat don't plan on retiring Butler's jersey in the future.
That would be a dramatic turn of events with Butler going from being one of the more beloved members of the Heat franchise to being reviled enough to not get his jersey retired. After all, he led the Heat to three Conference Finals in his six seasons there, including two trips to the NBA Finals. All while seemingly perfectly representing the grind culture of the Heat.
That is impressive to say the least, but his conduct, which saw him get suspended three times prior to being traded, likely has permanently damaged his reputation with the team. Time heals wounds, but it could be a while before Butler is able to mend fences with the Heat organization.
Did the Miami Heat take a shot at Jimmy Butler by giving his jersey to Andrew Wiggins?
With so many stars forcing their way off teams, it has led to some interesting discussions about whether those players deserve to get rewarded with a jersey retirement. Butler has forced his way off the Chicago Bulls, Minnesota Timberwolves, and now the Heat, making him the ultimate test case.
Meanwhile, other examples, such as Kawhi Leonard with the San Antonio Spurs and James Harden with the Houston Rockets, are players who probably won't ever be welcomed back to their former teams. That is important because those teams played such a big part in defining their legacies.
With Wiggins already having the same number, it probably wasn't a slight from the Heat toward Butler. Even so, it probably doesn't bode well for Butler's legacy with Miami.
Going forward, the Heat can start a new era based around Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo, with Wiggins being a capable stopgap on the wing to replace Butler. It might not have been the way Heat fans envisioned Butler's exit, but they should be excited about their future.