Jimmy Butler was just one of many superstars who changed teams this summer, and his addition to the Miami Heat has them eyeing a playoff spot this season. His previous stint had been with the Philadelphia 76ers, who lost in heart-breaking fashion last spring to the eventual champs in Toronto on a miracle shot by Kawhi Leonard.
After taking his talents to South Beach, Butler proved quickly that he fits the hard-working mentality of the organization as shepherded by Pat Riley, getting up at 3 a.m. for training camp to make sure he was the first one to arrive and set the tone for how this team approaches things going forward.
They got off on the right track with a decisive win over the Grizzlies on opening night, though they had to do it without Butler in the mix. And it turns out they’ll have to do without Butler on their upcoming two-game road trip as well: he’s celebrating the birth of his daughter this week.
Jimmy Butler will not travel for two-game road trip. His girlfriend had a baby Wednesday night
— Shandel Richardson (@ShandelRich) October 25, 2019
Butler, of course, has the full support of his team and coaching staff, as evidenced by Erik Spoelstra, as he attends to the needs of his family.
https://twitter.com/MiamiHEAT/status/1187795430349983747
Miami will continue opening week against the Bucks on Saturday in Milwaukee before heading to Minnesota to take on Butler’s former team the Timberwolves. It’s a missed opportunity for Butler to face the team he forced a trade from, but it’s certainly for good reason.
