Eight losses in a row. That’s how grim things have started to look in Miami. The team has fallen to the tenth spot in the East. Besides their standing, the postseason dreams too seem to slip with each passing game. Had Jimmy Butler been present, things might not have turned out this frightening. So, could it be his departure that’s caused things to fall apart for the Heat? Well, that’s the most likely explanation. But while it hasn’t been admitted, head coach Erik Spoelstra’s heartfelt confession after the defeat to the Knicks suggests the same.

Following the 116-95 loss, coach Spo told the media, “There’s no one that’s absolved from this.”  He admitted that he hasn’t been able to find the right solutions for the team’s struggles yet. “I have not come up with enough answers for this team. I have to do a better job. Our group has to do a better job,” Spoelstra added. The squad is trying, but every other team seems to be outplaying them. The losing streak is something Erik Spoelstra could never have imagined. But it is there staring him in the face.

“We’ve been racking our time, our brains, everything, trying to find solutions for that. We have not come up with solutions and we’ve pretty much tried everything. This has been one of the biggest challenges of a regular season that I’ve been a part of. And we just have to stay the course,” he told Miami Herald. Though Jimmy Butler’s name wasn’t mentioned, his presence could have made a difference. But even if he had been there, Pat Riley likely would have ensured he was suspended.

At least that’s how things were on the East Coast before Jimmy’s trade. The relationship between the president and Jimmy had soured to such an extent that it became clear to everyone in the community that nothing could mend it. Amid all this, the team struggled.

The rhythm was off, there was tension in the locker room, and all Jimmy Butler wanted was an extension that Pat Riley refused to grant. Eventually, Butler found his escape route to Golden State last month, and things couldn’t have been better since. But now questions are raised that Miami made the wrong decision by trading Jimmy.

Former player calls out Miami Heat for Jimmy Butler trade

The criticism came from former Maverick star Theo Pinson, who called the decision to trade Jimmy Butler a bigger mistake than the Mavericks trading Luka Doncic. While the chaos surrounding Doncic’s trade is well-known, Pinson now claims that Butler’s trade was even worse.

“That is a worse trade than Dallas and the Lakers, by far,” Pinson said on To The Baha. “Jimmy Butler was Heat culture. Regardless of what the f*** you thought he was doing off the court, that motherf***** brought a toughness. He brought a mentality. He had leadership.”

He emphasized that Butler was the heart of “Heat culture,” bringing a strong mentality to the squad, which has been lacking now. There’s no doubt that Jimmy Butler was a key piece of the Miami Heat, while Luka Doncic was the heart and soul of the Mavericks. But the way Dallas fans reacted to Doncic’s trade wasn’t the same with Jimmy. Probably that took some time and is finally settling now for the Heat nation. Which trade do you think was worse? Let us know in the comments below!