Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Hoop dreams come true
Butler rewards teammates with baskets amid holding pattern
MIAMI — With even the opportunity to return to practice a moving target for the NBA, Jimmy Butler figured the least he could do was quiet a degree of concern.
As well as quiet Miami Heat teammate Tyler Herro.
That, Butler said, is among the reasons he recently sent basketball hoops to his teammates.
“I feel like everybody should have an opportunity to still get their work in,” Butler said in an Instagram Live session with Haute Living. “So we sent them a couple of baskets so they could shoot. Because THerro was getting on my nerves, cussing me out because he couldn’t shoot. And I was like, ‘What do you want me to do?’ ”
While there had been initial speculation of the NBA opening practice facilities, where allowed by local governance, as soon as Friday, those plans on Monday were pushed back by the NBA at least a week. That continues to leave the facilities at AmericanAirlines Arena off limits to Heat players until at least May 8.
Butler, who has relocated to his San Diego home, said the social distancing amid the new coronavirus pandemic has not interrupted the social interaction, including recent birthday messages to teammates Duncan Robinson and Kelly Olynyk, as well as ongoing chiding with Heat cap
tain Udonis Haslem.
“I wish I could be around all my guys,” Butler said. “But I get to talk to everybody. Duncan just turned 26 the other day; KO just had a birthday. I get messages from UD, hating on me all the time.
“I just miss being around those guys, hooping, going to war with them. But I actually just sent Duncan and KO some wine for their birthdays. So I’m sure they’ll be sipping until we get back to work.”
Next up is Goran Dragic’s May 6 birthday, when the Heat point guard will turn 34. Dragic said Butler already has his appreciation.
“When you get a new teammate, it’s always hard to connect,” Dragic said on a recent Heat Instagram Live session about Butler joining the Heat in July.
“First you need to get to know him and see his personality and everything. From training camp on, after training camp, we just jelled. And he’s just such a funny, funny guy.
“I love being around him. And he’s a great teammate.”
Like teammates, Butler is itching to return, with the Heat inactive since the NBA shut down March 11, following Miami’s home loss to the Charlotte Hornets.
The Heat’s facilities then were closed the following week.
The first move by the NBA will be allowance for individual workouts at team facilities, with actual scrimmaging and on-court interaction still on hold.
As for getting back in action?
“I hope soon,” Butler said. “I definitely hope soon because I know how many people got an itch to play the game of basketball. Now everybody wants to be able to go see their friends and hang out.”
But Butler also stressed perspective.
“Everybody just continue to be safe, stay in the house to the best of your abilities,” he said. “I miss all our guys.”