Jimmy Butler: Heat Will Win NBA Title Despite Failing to Trade for Damian Lillard | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

Jimmy Butler isn't going to allow the Heat's failure to land Damian Lillard to deter his goal of winning a championship in Miami.

"We straight," Butler told reporters at Monday's media day. "I know what I'm capable of and what my guys are capable of. We're going to end up in the Finals and this time we'll win it."

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Butler has led the Heat to the Finals in two of his four seasons with the team, with playoff runs in 2020 and 2023 coming after otherwise unremarkable regular seasons.

Miami became the second No. 8 seed in NBA history to reach the NBA Finals last season, joining the 1999 New York Knicks. Unlike the Knicks, the Heat's playoff run came after a full regular season and was not part of a lockout-shortened campaign.

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"I am happy for Dame … but I'm still gonna be me. I'm gonna go beat Dame, Giannis, and Adrian Griffin on our way to a title."<a href="">@JimmyButler</a> sits down with <a href="">@TaylorRooks</a> to discuss the Damian Lillard trade and expectations for this upcoming season <a href="">

Butler has been a transformative playoff performer in Miami but was clearly gassed by the end of the Heat's playoff run last year. His averages of 21.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 6.4 assists, while solid, were a marked step down from the remainder of the playoff run.

Adding Lillard to the mix was expected to take some of the burden off Butler's shoulders as he enters his age-34 season.

Instead, the Heat will have arguably their weakest roster since Butler's arrival. Max Strus and Gabe Vincent both exited in free agency, leaving Miami with a thin guard rotation that will rely on Josh Richardson and Caleb Martin for heavy minutes.

Barring a different trade for a superstar, the odds are the Heat will be much closer to their regular-season form—barely a playoff team—than a true title contender. That said, there weren't many people expecting that type of playoff run from the Heat last season.