Stephen A. Smith Sounds Off on Former Philadelphia 76ers Star

Looking down South, the Philadelphia 76ers are seeing a dramatic scene take place within the Miami Heat organization, involving their former star, Jimmy Butler.

At this stage in the 2024-2025 NBA season, Butler has made it more than clear that he wants to be traded.

Not only did Butler go public with his feelings during a postgame press conference last month, but some of his actions behind the scenes have landed him in hot water with the organization, leading to multiple suspensions.

As Butler serves his second suspension this year, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith sent Butler a brutally honest message, questioning the star’s tactics.

“Jimmy Butler, if you are watching, you are not helping yourself, my brother,” Smith said earlier this week.

"Jimmy Butler, if you are watching, you're not helping yourself my brother." 😳 @stephenasmith has a message for Jimmy Butler after his recent two-game suspension from the Miami Heat. pic.twitter.com/weRGCjN3jO
— First Take (@FirstTake) January 23, 2025

“There's no question that, even though it's understandable, it's unprofessional. This is an extra level on top of unprofessional. You got to show up to work on time, and when you don’t show up for work, you got to own it. When you just finished serving a seven-game suspension, although you might have thought it was not justified, the fact of the matter is that was the decision the organization has made.”

According to reports, Butler’s most recent suspension was the result of the veteran missing a team flight.

“You’re looking for your bag; it was a two-year, $113 million extension you didn’t get, and you’re hoping to get at least that from somebody else,” Smith continued. “How are you gonna get that if this is your reputation going out the door? And it’s getting worse.”

Unfortunately for Butler’s potential free-agent market, this isn’t the first time he’s made negative headlines as he hoped to get traded. During Butler’s final days with the Minnesota Timberwolves, he had a similar conclusion before getting traded to the Sixers.

Butler spent 55 games playing for Philadelphia. As he became a free agent in 2019, the Sixers and the Heat struck a sign-and-trade with the then-30-year-old veteran.

Five years later, Butler is ready to cut ties with the Heat. At this point in the season, he’s posted averages of 17 points, five rebounds, and five assists while shooting 54 percent from the field. A trade might happen at some point before the deadline, but nothing seems to be on the horizon at this time.

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