Heat Fans Divided About PJ Tucker’s Impending Return in Jimmy Butler Trade

Los Angeles Clippers veteran forward PJ Tucker is rejoining the Miami Heat.

Miami acquired the 39-year-old forward in Wednesday’s blockbuster five-team Jimmy Butler trade. The Heat sent Butler to Golden State after weeks of trade rumors and a Jan. 2 trade request.

Tucker averaged 7.6 points and 5.5 rebounds in 71 games for the Heat in 2021-22. He added 7.9 points and 5.7 boards over 18 playoff outings.

However, Tucker is several years removed from that solid season. He hasn’t played at all for the Clippers this year; the two sides mutually agreed last October he’d step away ahead of a potential trade or buyout.

Most Heat fans expressed confusion, disappointment, or both in a Reddit post regarding Tucker’s impending return.

“There’s no way PJ Tucker can still play basketball lmao,” jdl03 commented.

Added No_Delay_1476: “PJ [expletive] Tucker are you kidding me lmao.”

It’s unclear what, if any, role Tucker has on a mediocre Heat team. He has an $11.5 million salary and hits unrestricted free agency this summer.

“Don’t understand why they want PJ tucker he’s damn near 40,” Totallynotsimp1 wrote.

RequirementSilly responded, “Toughness and leadership maybe. We do need that losing jimmy.”

Not all Heat fans are upset, though. In fact, RansomGoddard is staying positive.

“My wife loved PJ for vibes and will be happy to know he’s back,” they wrote.

However, few, if any, got more creative than BSantos57.

“[PJ] tucker’s so cooked he’s the french fry you find at the back of the oven that sat there for 6 months getting burned over and over,” they wrote.

JAQUEZ AND HARDAWAY PARTNER

Second-year Miami Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. is headed to San Francisco for All-Star Weekend.

He’ll have a familiar face—for Heat fans, at least—coaching him in the Rising Stars Game.

Heat legend Tim Hardaway drafted Jaquez to Team T on Tuesday. Hardaway joins former ‘TMC’ teammates Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin as honorary coaches.

Ex-NBA point guard Jeremy Lin coaches the G League players.

Jaquez averages 9.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 43 games (10 starts). He participated in last year’s Rising Stars event, tallying six points, two rebounds, and three assists in his lone game.

There are four teams in this year’s Rising Stars tournament. The two semifinal winners compete in the championship.

The first team to 40 points wins the semifinal game. A team must reach or surpass 25 points to win the championship.

You can find the complete rosters here.

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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.