Kevin Love references Boyz II Men following Jimmy Butler trade rumors
Jimmy Butler’s wish to be traded from the Miami Heat seems to be placing the six-time All-Star’s teammates in their feelings — something like a ’90s R&B music group.
After Miami’s 128-115 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night — where the small forward scored his second consecutive nine-point game — Butler expressed that he lost his joy of playing basketball in Miami.
“I want to see me getting my joy back playing basketball. Wherever that may be, we’ll find out here pretty soon,” Butler said. “I’m happy here off the court, but I want to be back to somewhat dominant, I want to hoop and I want to help this team win, and right now I’m not doing it.”
Following Butler’s comments about his joy dwindling in a Heat jersey, power forward Kevin Love took his feelings to social media Friday, seemingly foreshadowing Butler’s departure with a recreation of the R&B group Boyz II Men’s 1997 album “Evolution.”
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The artwork featured Heat guard Tyler Herro, Love, Butler, and Philadelphia 76ers guard Kyle Lowry, who was traded to the Charlotte Hornets for Terry Rozier and a protected 2027 first-round pick in Jan. 2024.
Love posted a snippet of the Boyz II Men hit song “End of the Road” earlier in the day, but the post was removed due to copyright issues. Love posted on his Instagram story.
Butler has hinted about his exit from Miami. On Christmas Day, it was reported that Butler preferred a trade, with the Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors on his preferred destinations. Heat president Pat Riley followed with a statement saying: “We will make it clear — we are not trading Jimmy Butler.”
Team officials also speculated that Butler didn’t play his hardest in Miami’s 119-108 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, where he finished with nine points.
The All-Star guard also received a seven-game suspension for multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team.
Butler is in the final year of his contract with a player option for next season for $52 million. Sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania and Brian Windhorst that teams have been informed that Butler intends to decline his player option for the 2025-26 season and become a free agent in July.
Source: espn.com