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Very Testy Moments: Sports Writer Hints Something Fishy Between Miami Heat and Jimmy Butler

Published 05/22/2021, 6:30 AM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

The Miami Heat ended their 2020-21 regular season on a high note, winning eight of their last ten games. They were just one game short of taking the #5 seed as the squad settled for a series against the Bucks. But now, as the playoffs are knocking on the doors, team leader Jimmy Butler is in the headlines for unpopular reasons.

As per the latest reports, Jimmy and the Heat franchise went through some differences in the recent past. So how true are these rumors?

A popular sportswriter hinted at something alarming for Miami Heat

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The Athletic’s Shams Charania recently sat down with DraftKings Sportsbook’s cast and revealed something rather unsettling. The popular sportswriter expressed, “I’m told there has been very, very testy moments behind the scenes between Jimmy, that coaching staff, and the roster at different points. So, how they’ll be able to navigate that over the course of the year, it’s transpired. And now… they’re on the uptick, they’re going to the playoffs and I think they’re playing the best basketball of the season right now. You’re seeing a healthy Jimmy, healthy Bam.”

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Now, this isn’t the first time that such headlines are surrounding Jimmy Buckets. Earlier in 2018, his infamous practice session with the Minnesota Timberwolves had surprised one and all. However, Jimmy has always been vocally appreciative towards Erik Spoelstra and the Heat organization. Hence, this one’s a little tricky.

Jimmy Butler Says He Doesn’t Care Whether He is Termed a Hero or Villain

When Goran Dragic stopped Jimmy Butler from fighting with his teammates

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The Dragon and Jimmy Buckets share a great bond, exactly similar to how Bam Adebayo and the 5xNBA All-Star do. In fact, Jimmy was someone who continuously checked in on Goran Dragic while he was injured last season and also motivated the Slovenian re-sign with the Heat. It’s tough to believe that he had any differences with his other teammates. 

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As per a December 2020 report, star point guard Dragic had to intervene and settle down potential fights between Jimmy and the Heat roster. But none of those were in a poor capacity because it was a classic Jimmy testing his teammates (Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro) during the crazy practice sessions. 

But from what Shams detailed, the Heat better defeat the Bucks or they’ll have it hard in the locker room. What is your opinion of Butler’s leadership style or rather his short-tempered yet proud self? Help us know in the comments.

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Written by:

Sourabh Singh

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Sourabh Singh is an NBA sports analyst for EssentiallySports, who has been working with the site since May 2020. Prior to this, he functioned as Managing Editor at WittyFeed, followed by a stint at Decathlon. The Sports Management graduate leads an active lifestyle, veering to the mountains for off-trail adventures.
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