MIAMI — No matter how much Jimmy Butler shrugs off Tuesday night’s anticipated game against his former team, the reality remains that the atmosphere won’t be business as usual.
For the first time since his tumultuous exit from Miami, the Warriors star will play at the Kaseya Center. He’ll likely see several former colleagues he grew close with as well as Pat Riley, the man who signed his paychecks but declined to offer him a contract extension last offseason. There will be heightened emotions — probably more cheers than boos — and possibly a tribute video.
While returning from Miami is different for Butler because that’s the franchise he reached his apex with, this isn’t unfamiliar territory for the six-time All-Star. He has left just about every stop in NBA career unceremoniously. Then he returned, facing the music.
How will Butler respond in Miami? Don’t expect him to launch 25 shots in search of a 40-point game and pound his chest toward Riley.
“This is basketball,” Butler said on Monday. “It’s very simple. I don’t have all the emotions that everybody thinks I’ll have. It is what it is.”
Butler’s past return games indicate he won’t let the moment engulf him.
Feb. 9, 2018: Timberwolves at Bulls
Butler spent the first six seasons in Chicago, blossoming from an unheralded defensive stopper into a bonafide All-Star. But tension in the locker room led the Bulls to deal Butler to the Timberwolves for Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and the pick that became Lauri Markkanen.
In Minnesota, Butler had a young Timberwolves team rolling. They went 37-22 with him in the lineup, but struggled when he missed time.
When Minnesota returned to Chicago for the first time since Butler’s departure, Butler went off. Shooting 11-for-26, Butler scored a game-high 38 points and nabbed four steals. But the Wolves lost by one. LaVine scored the Bulls’ last 11 points, including free throws from a costly late foul on Butler.
March 30, 2019: 76ers at Timberwolves
A first-round exit and disappointment with some of the Timberwolves’ young players led to a trade request, and subsequently one of the most infamous moments of Butler’s career.
In a preseason practice, Butler dominated the Timberwolves starters in a scrimmage with the bench players before sitting down with a reporter to talk about his future with the franchise.
The Timberwolves traded Butler to the 76ers a month later to end the drama. When he returned to face Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins and the Wolves, the crowd jeered him.
Butler tweaked his back but stayed in the game, finishing 4-for-17 from the floor. Despite the rough shooting night, he tallied 13 rebounds, five assists and two steals in a 118-109 Philadelphia win.
Nov. 23, 2019: Heat at 76ers
The Sixers chose to pay Tobias Harris over Butler, eschewing the two-way wing out via sign-and-trade. Three years later, he exclaimed, “Tobias Harris over me!” after the Heat eliminated Philadelphia from the postseason.
But before that, Butler returned to Philadelphia. Even though Butler was only with the Sixers for half a season, fans in the City of Brotherly Love booed him during introductions and every time he touched the ball.
Butler missed nine of his 13 shots, struggling in the hostile environment that cheered each clank.
“To tell you the truth, I legit didn’t even pay attention,” Butler told reporters then. “I really don’t pay attention to it.”
He didn’t play the fourth quarter of a blowout loss, and Josh Richardson — whom Philadelphia acquired in the transaction — scored a game-high 32 points.
