Tyler Herro chimes in on Jimmy Butler’s lack of joy in the Heat

Jimmy Butler surprised the NBA world with his postgame comments about his lack of joy on the court with the Miami Heat.

He went a step further to claim that he “probably can’t” get the joy back with the Heat. This surprised social media, but apparently the same cannot be said for star teammate Tyler Herro. The former Sixth Man of the Year was asked if he was surprised by Butler’s remark after the game.

“Not really,” Herro began. “We’re all trying to find joy in (basketball} at the same time, so we’ll see.”

“I have no idea,” Herro said as to how the team should involve Butler more in the offense. “I’m not the coach.”

It’s safe to say that emotions in the Heat’s locker room are at a season high, and the trade deadline is sure to be a chaotic time for team president Pat Riley and the front office.

HEAT VS PACERS TAKEAWAYS

1. Which home ground?

In retrospect, perhaps the Heat’s underwhelming win over the Pelicans on Wednesday was a sign of things to come. Miami didn’t blow out or dominate a dismal New Orleans team like you would expect a healthy Heat team to, especially at home.

Indiana led 38–25 at the end of the first quarter and eliminated any hope of a Heat comeback with a 41-point third quarter. Tyrese Haliburton scored 33 points and dished out 15 assists to make Miami’s defense look lost.

The Heat have been up-and-down all season. It looks like the same problems that plagued them in the final months of 2024 will continue into the early days of 2025.

2. Jimmy Butler stays quiet … too quiet

Butler scored nine points on just five shots Wednesday night, his first game since Dec. 20. It was easy to write off the quiet performance and 25-minute outing when the Heat brought him back into action after the five-game absence.

So much for that idea. Butler recorded nine points, four assists, two rebounds and two steals Thursday night; Indiana outscored Miami by 27 points when Butler was on the court.

The most alarming part is that Butler took six shots. Sure, the Heat’s second-best player has only taken 11 shots in his last two games. It’s a massive problem, and it’s one the Heat need to address if they intend to keep Butler through the postseason.

3. Bam is back! Perhaps

After more than two months of offensive regression, the old Bam Adebayo may finally be back. Adebayo recorded 20 points and eight rebounds in 25 minutes Thursday night.

Most importantly, Adebayo hit eight of his 12 shots; the three-time All-Star has made 17 of his last 26 shots, an important feat given his long-standing shooting woes. On a night with few positives for the Heat, they can at least take heart from Adebayo’s attack.

MORE HOT NEWS

Heat named one of the ‘most discussed’ destinations for the $163 million All-Star

Jimmy Butler’s former teammate reveals the Heat’s must-do move before the trade deadline

Anthony Pasciolla works as a contributing writer for Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at [email protected] or follow him at X @AnthonyPasci.