It certainly had an impact,” Spoelstra said Wednesday when asked how Butler’s contentious exit impacted the team. “We are an organization that prides ourselves on not making any kind of excuses.

After Butler was accused of not playing his hardest, he went on a spicy rant, indicating he had lost his joy for basketball with the Heat while also alluding to being traded. The team decided to suspend him for seven games, only to suspend him for two more games after he missed a team flight.

The Heat were by no means a top contender in the East when Butler was traded, but without their star they struggled to win games. Miami's struggles were on full display in its first-round matchup with the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers.