Miami Heat Veteran Hints at Disappointing Move After Trade Deadline
Miami Heat big man Kevin Love appears ready to call it quits.
No, the five-time All-Star forward isn’t retiring yet. At least, not to our knowledge.
Instead, Love signaled he’s walking away from his recent social media antics. The sparsely-used veteran spent recent weeks posting memes and movie clips on Instagram, frequently mocking teammates and the lingering Jimmy Butler trade saga.
However, Butler is headed to Golden State. Rather than publicly declare his new target, Love implied he’s done playing stand-up comedian.
“Generational Run,” Love wrote on Instagram, attaching a video of Michael Jordan’s 1993 retirement press conference.
The news is disappointing, largely because Love showed an excellent sense of humor during tense times for the Heat and their fans. Love typically referenced popular movies like Casino, Pulp Fiction, and Scarface during the Butler drama.
Following Wednesday’s Butler trade, Love shared the scene where Andy Dufresne finally escapes prison.
It’s worth noting, of course, Jordan eventually returned to win three more titles in Chicago.He later returned again to finish his career in Washington.
What does that mean for Love’s comedic posts? And, speaking of disappointing, what is the comedy equivalent of Jordan ending his career for the Wizards?
WIGGINS TO JOIN LEBRON, SHAQ
New Heat forward Andrew Wiggins is about to join a rare club featuring two of the greatest players in league history.
Wiggins will become the fourth No. 1 pick to play for the Heat. He’ll join Shaquille O’Neal (1992), LeBron James (2003), and Greg Oden (2007) in the exclusive group.
The Heat have never selected first in the draft.
The Cleveland Cavaliers drafted Wiggins first in 2014. However, the team quickly traded him to Minnesota for All-Star forward Kevin Love.
Amusingly, Wiggins and Love are now teammates.
Wiggins’ entry into the small club could bode well for Miami. O’Neal and James each won championships during their Heat tenure.
Additionally, the Heat reached the Finals during Oden’s lone season in Miami. However, the San Antonio Spurs topped the Heat in 2014.
Wiggins averages 17.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists. However, his 44.4 shooting percentage marks his lowest since 2019, his final full season in Minnesota.
HASLEM SHARES THOUGHTS ON BUTLER TRADE
Count Heat legend Udonis Haslem among those pleased with the Butler trade.
“I have just been waiting to exhale,” Haslem declared on ESPN.
Haslem went one step further describing the last month. Butler requested a trade Jan. 2 and has served three separate suspensions for violating team rules, missing a team flight, and walking out of practice.
“It has been mentally, emotionally, and physically draining in this period of time for everyone,” Haslem said.
“So I am quite happy that we finally got it figured out, and the guys in the locker room can quiet the noise and play with a clear mind.”
Haslem played with Butler from 2019 through 2023. Miami reached the finals twice in that span, losing to the Lakers in 2020 and the Nuggets three years later.
However, Haslem has no lingering resentment towards Butler. He praised his ex-teammate and said the veteran forward is an excellent fit for a Warriors team seeking one more title in the Stephen Curry era.
“I know what Jimmy is firsthand,” Haslem said. “Playoff Jimmy. I know what he brings. He’s definitely gonna take some stress off Steph. … You can go to Jimmy, and he’s gonna be efficient for you.”
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Jake Elman works as a contributing writer to Miami Heat on SI. He can be reached at jakeelman97@gmail.com or follow him on X @JakeElman97.
