Jimmy Butler returned to Miami for the first time since the Heat traded him to the Golden State Warriors at the NBA trade deadline. In short, the reunion went a lot better for the Heat than it did for Butler.
Not only did Miami grab the win, but Butler also struggled in his return. He finished with just 11 points and six rebounds in a quiet performance that stood out — and not in a good way. Fans didn’t hold back either, with many taking to social media to let the former Heat star hear it after the loss.
NBA Fans Trolled Jimmy Butler Following Lackluster Performance in Return to Miami
After the game, fans trolled Butler, and some weren’t subtle. One Lakers fan wrote, “Got his a** whooped,” in response to Butler’s earlier comments about the Heat’s tribute video played before the game.
Got his ass whooped today 😂 https://t.co/ql11xIcAZ4
— Ant (@ant310) March 26, 2025
One Heat fan took it even further, calling Butler’s time in Miami a “sad legacy.”
Sad legacy https://t.co/Rp4JUJJ9on
— Mike (@HeatLyfer1) March 26, 2025
That comment probably refers to the fact that Butler never delivered a championship to the Heat. Compared to Miami icons like LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, or Shaquille O’Neal — all title winners — Butler’s résumé falls short in that department.
But that doesn’t mean his time in Miami wasn’t impressive.
Butler played five and a half seasons with the Heat and helped lead them to two NBA Finals appearances. In 2020 and again in 2023, Butler carried a Miami squad that few believed could make a deep run. That 2023 team became just the second No. 8 seed in NBA history to reach the Finals, and it happened largely because of him.
While Butler never won MVP honors or lifted the Larry O’Brien Trophy, the Heat were a serious threat during his run, and that’s more than most stars can say. He changed the team’s ceiling and made Miami a problem in the East — something that was far from guaranteed before he arrived.
Still, Butler has always been a polarizing figure. He’s known to troll others and stir things up when he’s unhappy, and Miami was no exception. Things were solid until they weren’t, and once the relationship between Butler and the front office soured, it unraveled quickly.
So, while it might be a bit much to call his Heat legacy “sad,” it’s also not surprising that fans took their shot after a flat return. Butler has built a reputation for dishing it out — and now, he’s got to take it too.