Spoelstra speaks of enduring Heat relationship with Butler; Robinson details playoff limitations

MIAMI — Amid speculation of what might come next with the Miami Heat and Jimmy Butler — with Butler eligible for an extension and also in the midst of media speculation about his future with the team — coach Erik Spoelstra spoke Friday of an enduring relationship.

“It goes by fast,” Spoelstra said of the partnership that began with the Heat’s acquisition of Butler from the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2019 offseason. “I remember my first meeting with him and now we’ll be heading into our sixth year working together. I think that’s a beautiful thing. It’s not something I take for granted. I can’t wait. I can’t wait for training camp.”

Spoelstra’s comments came in the wake of Butler missing the Heat’s playoff series against the Boston Celtics due to an MCL sprain in his right knee. The comments also came two months before Butler, 34, is eligible to seek a two-year contract extension.

While Butler declined to speak with the media during Friday’s optional interview session at Kaseya Center, he did meet earlier in the day with Spoelstra and the Heat front office.

That session apparently went well enough for Spoelstra to emerge with optimism about what might come next in the partnership with Butler that has produced three trips to the Eastern Conference finals and two to the NBA Finals.

“He’ll be extremely motivated,” Spoelstra said in looking ahead to next season. “You know Jimmy views things like us, also, and doesn’t want to have our season over early in May.

“My expectation is that at this place in his career and his age that he’ll come into training camp in the best shape of his career. I think that’s the goal, particularly when you get to that stage.”

While Butler can evoke tensions with an abrasive approach, Spoelstra spoke of the relationship in terms of one that has evolved, even if perhaps not as the same Spoelstra enjoyed with Heat icon Dwyane Wade.

“I think from the head coach to the star player going into whatever chapter this is, one of the later chapters in his career — I don’t want to say the final chapter, because of the kind of condition that he’s in, he can play for a long, long time. I don’t want to put a ceiling on that — but this is like the sweet spot, the beauty, when you actually get an opportunity to coach and work with somebody together for six years,” Spoelstra said.

“It’s different than one year, two years. It’s something that most coaches and players don’t get to experience. And certainly not any more. But it was an amazing, beautiful thing when Dwyane and I got past a handful of years. Our relationship, our perspective, everything was way different and way more in unison. And when you’re working with that kind of intuitive togetherness, and not to say that we weren’t, it’s just my experience that when you get to those later years, it just happens. That’s a symbiotic relationship. You’re pushing in the same direction intuitively, and I’m looking forward to that.”

Robinson reflects

Guard Duncan Robinson, severely limited during the playoffs by a back ailment listed as left facet syndrome, said Friday the only treatment option both then and now is extended rest.

“I don’t want to get too much into it, because just having a conversion leans into it being an excuse,” he said. “I was just going to try to do whatever I could to be available.”

Robinson said he would have had more regrets if he did not attempt to play, even with his diminished state.

“I didn’t want to rest,” he said. “I wanted to give it whatever I could to the team.”

Market value

Several of the Heat’s impending free agents on Friday discussed the offseason.

On potentially leaving in free agency because of the Heat’s cap issues, forward Caleb Martin said, “Yeah, I think about that. But some things, you have to see as it goes.”

Of his free agency plans, forward Haywood Highsmith said, “When that time comes to figure out where I’ll be playing next season, I’ll go through it slowly.” He said the goal would be to remain with the Heat. “I love it here. It matches me.”

Of possibly returning, guard Delon Wright said, “I would definitely love to come back. But it’s a business, so you never know what the future holds.” Asked if he would be disappointed not to return, Wright said, “I definitely would like to come back.”