Inside The Heat

Miami Heat Fans Battle About Defacing Jimmy Butler Mural

Jake Elman

Dec 4, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) dribbles against the Los Angeles Lakers in during the first half at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
Dec 4, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) dribbles against the Los Angeles Lakers in during the first half at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
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Some Miami Heat fans spent the weekend defacing a Jimmy Butler mural in Wynwood.

At least one Heat supporter thinks the fanbase went too far.

“Jimmy did quit, but this offensive mural is so unnecessary,” Reddit user heatculture03 wrote Sunday. They embedded a recent CBS 4 (Miami) segment featuring the Butler artwork, which now features a sticker reading “clearance” and “TRADE!” on his Heat jersey.

Fans also added an “I quit” headband and a coffee mug saying “pay me.” 

Did Heat fans go over the line? The Heat subreddit doesn’t think so.

“I mean this is as mild an ‘offense’ as it can be,” cl353 argued. “Ppl were burning lebron jerseys in Cleveland.”

Another user, rachelalexander16, called the original post “so soft.”

“Fans can and should be mad at him and if they want to express that let them,” they wrote. “Who cares. Jimmy will survive.”

Added Mazariamonti: “Quitters get no respect. Demand a trade and sit or whatever you have to. But going out on the court and half assing it is probably the most disrespectful thing the player can do both to the fans and his team. 

“If he’s going to disrespect the fan base like that then f-- him.”

Corgsploot called the mural’s new look a “polite reaction.”

“And hilarious,” they added. 

Others, however, agreed with the post and even defended Butler.

“I don’t agree [with] this mural,” binokyo10 posted. “We can still be HEAT fans and cheer Jimmy.”

Do you think Heat fans went too far? Let us know.

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Jake Elman works as a contributing writer to Miami Heat on SI. He can be reached at jakeelman97@gmail.com or follow him on X @JakeElman97.

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Jake Elman
JAKE ELMAN

Jake Elman is a veteran sports journalist and graduate of Florida Atlantic University’s journalism program. In recent years, he has covered the NFL for EndGame360 and served as the sports content lead for ExpressVPN. He also covered the Lane Kiffin years at FAU for the Palm Beach Post.