LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Jimmy Butler sometimes comes off like a culture unto himself.
There’s the impish expressions that have made his face a meme several times over; his loudly trumpeted love of country music; recently his stint as CEO of Big Face Coffee which charges $20 a cup (because he wants a bill with a “big face” on it). There’s mythic tales of Butler dribbling in his room in the early morning hours, then less charming ones like how he disassembled his Minnesota Timberwolves teammates in a practice session when he was on the outs there.
He’s controversial, colorful and often divisive. And Butler is the first to admit it: “I’m not for everybody.”
But he is for the Miami Heat.
Butler has been the heart of a smashing success in Miami which has now seen the Heat journey all the way back to the Finals for the first time since 2014. It’s Butler’s first appearance on the NBA’s biggest stage, and in many eyes a validation of his ultra-competitive and quirky ways.
Erik Spoelstra described a breezy recruiting visit with Butler where he committed over dinner before the Heat coach and executive Pat Riley even made their pitch. For Butler, he knew as soon as he walked into the gym.
“They was blasting my guy, Dermot Kennedy, when we walked in,” he said. “I was like, ‘I’m home.’ It’s easy. Obviously D-Wade (Dwyane Wade) told me about it. I wanted parts of that, the work; the culture, the word that everybody uses. I know y’all are tired of hearing it but it’s real.”
The foundational piece of “Heat Culture” could have been a part of Lakers culture. Butler was discussed as an option when the Lakers considered how to use their max salary slot they cleared after the trade for Anthony Davis. They ended up waiting out the early action, when Butler was at the center of a sign-and-trade deal from Philadelphia (where he had also worn out his welcome) to Miami. Kawhi Leonard ended up signing with the Clippers, creating an NBA without a true super team.
Frank Vogel declined to go into depth about how deep the Lakers got into talks about considering Butler, but he was full of admiration for the 30-year-old five-time All-Star.
“Well his fit with their culture is perfect, because he’s about toughness, and he’s about winning, and that’s what the Miami Heat are about,” he said. “Obviously he’s a huge part of what they’re doing this year. He has really set a tone for them from a toughness standpoint and being about winning.”
In one sense, Vogel said, Miami does resemble a super team, even though the Lakers are widely considered to have the best two players in the series. Butler and center Bam Adebayo are All-Stars this year, and he’s long felt that Goran Dragic could play at an All-Star level if he could stay healthy. The trio has averaged more than 60 points per game throughout the playoffs.Vogel got to coach Adebayo at All-Star weekend and came away deeply impressed by the 23-year-old. Vogel said he might use Dwight Howard to help guard Adebayo.
“Really fits the modern NBA in terms of playing the center position with all that he can do,” Vogel said. “Obviously being a dynamic roller, but like Nikola Jokic, he’ll bring the ball up at the five position and run the break, and make plays off the bounce which is very unique for the center position. And he can really do it all: protects the rim defensively, he can switch out, does a lot of things and is a huge reason for their success this year.”
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