So the subject of jersey retirements started swirling the internet on this fine Friday, and mentioned was the Miami Heat.
Are we already talking about a Giannis Antetokounmpo jersey retirement? Can’t be. He’s been a Heat for what, three months? What about Bam Adebayo? Ehh … he’s getting there. Actually, it was Jimmy Butler who has suddenly re-emerged in Heat talk online.
The Athletic put out a tier list of players who could eventually have their numbers retired, ranging from safe bets to those who are close, on the way and even “local heroes.” And surprise, surprise! Butler was mentioned. In which tier, you might ask? Among the players who will get their jersey raised to the rafters one day.
Off went social media with the back and forth debates.
Miami Heat Has Harsh Message for Jimmy Butler
Wrote The Athletic: “Things didn’t end well in Miami, but Butler helped lead the Heat to two NBA Finals appearances as part of what will be a Hall of Fame career.”
Well … not so fast.
According to Five Reasons Sports’ Ethan Skolnick, the Heat has no intention of retiring Butler’s No. 22.
This isn’t opinion/preference. Just fact,” Skolnick wrote in an X post. “As long as the majority of the current Heat front office is in place, 22 isn’t being retired. And the Heat front office never changes. 13 will be in rafters (and not for Marino this time). 6 also. May have been sooner if he came back.”
Skolnick says Adebayo’s jersey will get cemented in Heat lore someday. Ditto for LeBron James. But James may be waiting a little longer after he chose to sign with the rival Philadelphia 76ers over the Heat in free agency this offseason. (Heat fans would’ve even preferred a return to Cleveland over choosing Philly, Bron!)
As for Butler, yes, things absolutely ended horribly, with team president Pat Riley even reportedly getting moved to tears as Butler’s final weeks with the Heat played out back in early 2025.
Should Miami Retire No. 22?
Of course, that number belongs to Andrew Wiggins right now. And who knows, if Wiggins works some magic as the Heat rip off multiple championships in the Antetokounmpo era, maybe the conversation then becomes when the Heat will raise Wiggins’ jersey, not if No. 22 is Butler’s.
Some Heat supporters don’t want to hear another peep about Butler after his split with the franchise over 20 months ago. Others, like Heat Roundtable’s Anthony Aguirre, think of the memorable moments Butler helped engineer.
“The Los Angeles Lakers won the Larry O’Brien trophy in six games, but Butler’s resilience was on full display,” Aguirre wrote. “In Game 3, he logged a 40-point triple-double, including 11 rebounds, 13 assists, two steals, and two blocks. Fast forward to Game 5: a 35-point triple-double, including 12 rebounds, 11 assists, five steals, and a block. An iconic photo of Butler exhausted and catching his breath on the barriers close to the basket was a clear representation of what he delivered on the court during the series.”
(Brace for the cliché) Time heals all wounds. The Heat may not have any interest in retiring Butler’s No. 22 right now, but perhaps that will change down the line.
Miami Heat Make Major Decision on Jimmy Butler Jersey Retirement