Heat's Jimmy Butler trade rumors sparks Erik Spoelstra's 'get over it' rant
Yesterday at 02:19 PM
With the Miami Heat suspending Jimmy Butler once again, the team will once again be without the star for two more games in the current road trip. As the Heat face the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night, head coach Erik Spoelstra has downplayed the events that have transpired to the organization in recent days.
Spoelstra spoke at Thursday morning’s shootaround where the media was told once again that the coach won’t answer specific questions regarding Butler. However, he was asked about the message to the team to not let the outside noise distract the task at hand which Spoelstra blatantly said “Get over it” according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.
"The point I made to our team is get used to it," Spoelstra said. "Get over it. This is the NBA life. This is the life we chose. If you think it's just going to be predictable, you're really mistaken. It takes a mental fortitude and commitment to focus on the task at hand. Nothing changes with what the task is. We have enough continuity. We know what our identity is at this point. You can make any excuses you want to. We get to do what we love."
After another languid outing by Butler in the Heat’s loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday and missing a team flight to Milwaukee, Butler would be suspended for two contests after playing the last three coming off a seven-game shelving. When asked if the game plan changes in the foreseeable future with the suspension, Spoelstra wouldn’t hesitate.
"Of course," Spoelstra said. "That's part of the job. We've had this happen all season long. We know the exercise and what we need to do to make those adjustments."
Kevin Love on the “focus” of the team amidst the Jimmy Butler drama
With the destination for Butler likely being the Suns, he is still on Miami’s roster, though events could change by the time he will be eligible to return when the team hosts the Orlando Magic on Jan. 27. As for the rest of the team, Heat veteran Kevin Love who has made a footprint on social media would speak on the “focus” of the team regarding the Butler drama.
"Whether he's with us or not, focus on what we have here and put positive energy forward,” Love said. “Stay in the time we're in now, stay present, don't listen to the noise. Just focus on winning and pouring into the team."
"There's a lot of noise in the world we live in now,” Love continued. “You don't escape that. It's been a chance for us to get in a foxhole together and work toward winning games. Winning cures all."
Once again, Butler would be suspended for “conduct detrimental to the team” among other reasons listed in the team’s statement on Wednesday.
“We have suspended Jimmy Butler for two games for continued pattern of disregard of team rules, insubordinate conduct and conduct detrimental to the team, including missing today's team flight to Milwaukee,” the statement read that was posted to their official X, formerly Twitter, account.
Consequently, Miami is currently 21-21 which puts them ninth in the Eastern Conference as the upcoming two-game road trip which Butler would miss is Thursday against the Bucks and Saturday facing the Brooklyn Nets.
The post Heat’s Jimmy Butler trade rumors sparks Erik Spoelstra’s ‘get over it’ rant appeared first on ClutchPoints.
