Thanks to a trade deadline blockbuster, the March 25 matchup between the Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat in South Beach went from a sleepy, inconsequential affair to must-see TV as it will now mark Jimmy Butler's return to Kaseya Center. Butler was traded by Miami to Golden State ahead of the February deadline after the relationship between player and team deteriorated dramatically in front of the NBA world.
Preparing for the possibility that his first game in Miami will be a juicy affair indeed, TNT claimed the Heat-Warriors game as a national broadcast on Thursday.
In what could be the Heat's final game on TNT, the network added Butler's Golden State return to South Florida, against the Heat, on March 25, and dropped Knicks-Mavericks.
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) February 20, 2025
It is no small matter for a network to voluntarily drop a New York-based sports team unless they are the Jets or Giants, which should speak to how much interest there will be in Butler's return.
It's a solid line of logic by TNT execs. Butler's time with the Heat ended quite poorly. He took Miami to a pair of NBA Finals appearances in five seasons but made it publicly clear he wasn't happy to not receive a contract extension for his efforts. The Heat responded by suspending Butler multiple times before finally shipping him to the Dubs. It could be quite a colorful affair when he returns to the Kayesa Center in an enemy uniform.
Knowing Butler, the circumstances probably drive him to a huge night. The national audience will be tuning in to see if it does just that.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as TNT Picks Up Jimmy Butler's Return to Miami for Heat-Warriors Tilt.
