Miami Heat's Jimmy Butler Wants to Fulfill Promise Made to Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra
When Jimmy Butler signed with the Miami Heat last summer, he made a promise to team president Pat Riley and coach Erik Spoelstra.
He told them he would lead the team to a fourth NBA championship. Butler fell just short of the goal after the Heat lost 4-2 to the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals. Butler said next season is all about making good on that promise.
"I told them that I would win them one and I didn't hold up my end of the bargain," Butler said. "That means I've got to do it next year. I told Pat, I told coach Spo I'm here to win one. I didn't do my job. Moving forward, I've got to hold up my end of the bargain."
While many around the league feel the Heat are a player away from winning a championship, Butler said the building blocks are in place. He is comfortable making another run playing alongside Tyler Herro, Bam Adebayo, Kendrick Nunn and Goran Dragic.
The process has already started for Butler, who was back in the gym two days after the season ended.
"We're trending in the right direction," Butler said. "We're going to learn from this. We're going to come back. We'll be back. We've got guys that want to do it. We got guys that already want to get back in the gym and get to working at this thing. That's what we do here. Like I said, it was pleasure to play with these guys. We're definitely moving in the right direction."
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