(Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Fans in certain cities get reputations for different characteristics, which is certainly the case in the NBA.
For years, Los Angeles sports fans have been known for showing up late and leaving early for the city’s teams, including the Lakers.
Much of this could be due to the well-known horrors of LA traffic, but it is a reputation well-earned.
Now that stigma has traveled to Miami, and Jimmy Butler recently revealed a source of irritation for him in his five seasons starring for the Heat.
NBACentral noted via Complex Sports that Butler took Heat fans to task for always being late to games.
Jimmy Butler calls out Heat fans for never showing up on time
(Via @ComplexSports / h/t @Boness305) pic.twitter.com/L64UMEgl8X
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 28, 2024
The 14-year veteran expressed his desire for the arena to be exploding with energy from the tipoff all the way to the final buzzer.
It’s hard to maintain the high-octane energy of a game when half the seats are empty due to late-arriving fans.
Of much more immediate importance is Butler’s contract situation, with news that the six-time All-Star will not sign a contract extension with Miami or any other team before his opt-out clause comes up next year.
He is clear about his intention to stay in Miami, tardy fans or not, and the team says it is uninterested in fielding offers from other clubs for his services.
The Heat dropped their first-round series to the eventual champion Celtics in five games this postseason, and trade rumors swirled around Butler ever since.
Despite repeated injury issues, Butler is not only a valuable NBA commodity in Miami and potentially elsewhere but also worth showing up early for.
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