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With the Miami Heat's rollercoaster of a season coming to a close, the team did their optional exit interviews Wednesday. Coach Erik Spoelstra was asked about the impact the Jimmy Butler situation had earlier this season. “Well it certainly had an impact.
We are an organization that prides ourselves on not making any kind of excuses. Even if we managed it perfectly, there's always some second-guessing on what we could've done better just to right the ship, "Spoelstra said. "It was turbulent waters.
It’s not as if that would’ve moved the needle for us to be first in the conference, that's unrealistic. But, you know, when I look back on it, l'll look back on it the same way now as years from now. It was a good five-year run.
" Butler was suspended multiple times throughout January and early February after different instances of "conduct detrimental to the team." Before then, Butler made it about as obvious as can be that he wanted out of Miami, causing a stir after his now-infamous "joy" comments that he made at a postgame press conference. After weeks of the lingering Butler drama playing out, the Heat traded Butler to the Golden State Warriors, who have won at an elite rate since acquiring the 14-year veteran.
"When things end, often times, they end, not as loudly as this, but it ends where, there's something. You can go look at all the other teams out there. Players when they change teams, there’s a certain feeling about it and it’s unfortunate," Spoelstra said.
"We all feel like it didn’t have to go to that level, but we have clarity now. We've turned the page, it's a different chapter, we’re moving on.” MORE MIAMI HEAT STORIES Alexander Toledo is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI and producer/co-host of the Five on the Floor podcast , covering the Heat and NBA.
He can be reached at [email protected]. Twitter: @tropicalblanket.
