The Miami Heat will have to try to make the first round of the 2024 playoffs without Jimmy Butler, who is feared to have ended his season with a potential MCL injury. While the Chicago Bulls aren’t the toughest opponents one could face in the final play-in game, it’ll still be a tough contest without their main man.
While the Heat are trying to figure out what Butler’s injury means for the team’s season, the media coverage of his injury has been quick and comprehensive. Since sports media has always been about getting to break a story first, sports journalists tend to quickly publish information.
However, the news cycle surrounding Butler’s fate have his agent furious over the reportage.
Jimmy Butler’s agent is furious at Shams Charania for inaccurate reportage of Miami Heat star’s injury
Shams Charania, one of the most well-known names in basketball media, published a report on his social media page that he’s likely out for the season due to his MCL injury.
The expectation is Miami’s Jimmy Butler will be out multiple weeks, sources said. Butler remarkably played the final three quarters vs. 76ers last night with what is now feared to be an MCL injury. https://t.co/dEDMAuuXuN
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 18, 2024
While the Heat beat writers quickly disputed Charania’s claims, it didn’t stop Jimmy Butler’s agent from lashing out at Charania. Bernie Lee made an appearance at SiriusXM NBA Radio with Brian Scalabrine and Frank Isola to ask the insider what he knows about the situation.
The Spun’s Matt Hladik wrote that Lee was exasperated with Charania’s inaccurate report:
“We don’t see the doctor until later this afternoon,” Lee told Scalabrine and Isola. “As you guys know, locker rooms are a busy place. People can think about something or speculate something, but nobody really knows. We’re going to see the doctor later today.
“It blows my mind that somebody who wasn’t in the arena can somehow come up with a medical timeline that literally four of us … we don’t even know. Now, we’re having to live in somebody else’s created reality of you know something I didn’t know.”
The Miami Heat will be in trouble if Charania’s report is accurate
While there’s no clear indication that Butler will be out for a long period, the Heat will be in trouble if the 24-year-old forward will be out for longer than a couple of days.
Playoff Jimmy has been a force to be reckoned with in the Heat’s past two playoff appearances. His combined playoff averages in 2022 and 2023 saw him average an incredible 27.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.9 steals, and 0.6 blocks while playing 38.5 minutes a game.
If they don’t have Butler return to the team on time, the Heat might be out of the tournament by the time he’s fully healed.
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