Butler has another NBA godfather
Guard reveals relationship with Raptors’ Kyle Lowry
For years, it had been clear that Jimmy Butler wanted to play for The Godfather.
That became a reality in the 2019 offseason, when Pat Riley pulled the strings for the Miami Heat to add Butler during NBA free agency in a sign-and-trade transaction with the Philadelphia 76ers.
But now, after Butler’s recent appearance on The Artist and The Athlete podcast with former South Florida sports-media personality Lindsay Czarniak, clarity has been offered about this season’s machinations that almost afforded Butler the opportunity to play with the godfather of his daughter Rylee. During the interview that paired Butler with country-music star Kane Brown, Butler opened up on his friendship with Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry.
“He’s one of my absolute best friends,” Butler said. “He’s the godfather of my daughter. And it’s just like as competitive as it is, we’re always laughing, we’re always joking around.
“I would say something else, but then the NBA is going to look at this and be like, ‘Oh my god, he’s tampering.’ “
Indeed, it was at the NBA’s March 25 trade deadline when the Heat went deep into negotiations with the Raptors for Lowry, with the Heat ultimately balking at the asking price and Lowry left to play out the season with Toronto.
That did not necessarily mean an end to the Heat’s — or Butler’s — interest, with Lowry set to become a free agent this offseason and the Heat with potentially one of the league’s largest salary-cap stashes available.
After Butler’s godfather revelation, Czarniak interjected of Lowry, “Maybe he needs some sunshine, maybe he needs some Miami sunshine.”
That led the typically loquacious Butler to interject, “You said that, I didn’t say that.”
That’s when Brown, a favorite from Butler’s preferred music genre, chimed in with, “Kyle Lowry, go to Miami bro.”
At 35, it is possible that Lowry will not fit with a Raptors rebuild around younger players such as Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby and Fred VanVleet. While Riley, in his role as Heat president, said last month he was unwilling at the trading deadline to part with young pieces such as Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson, that thinking could potentially change after the Heat’s uneven close to this season.
Butler, 31, has two seasons left on his Heat contract, but has the ability to opt out after next season, with 2022-23 a player option.
There also is the possibility the Heat work out an extension for the player who helped lift the team to last season’s NBA Finals, or work with him to bring in complementary talent of his preference.
After failing to land Lowry at the trading deadline, the Heat instead landed Houston Rockets guard Victor Oladipo at the 11th hour, with Oladipo since limited by a knee issue that has him sidelined the past 10 days.
Oladipo will be a free agent in the offseason, with his salary-cap slot potentially to be utilized instead on a free agent . . . or perhaps even a free-agent godfather.