The Miami Heat got some revenge on Jimmy Butler when they defeated the Golden State Warriors at Kayesa Center on March 25, but things have otherwise gone poorly for the franchise since the blockbuster trade in early February.
While the Warriors are still looking to secure a top six spot amid a 22-6 record in Butler's 28 games for the franchise, the Heat have been condemned to the Play-In Tournament and a huge uphill battle to make the playoffs.
There's already calls for the Heat to essentially give up on their season
Miami took a huge blow when they suffered a 119-111 loss to the Chicago Bulls at United Center on Wednesday, meaning they're likely to finish as the 10th-seed in the East and therefore will need to win two road Play-In games to make the playoffs.
Former Warrior Andrew Wiggins had 14 points, six rebounds and five assists for the Heat, but Josh Giddey's huge 28-point, 16-rebound, 11-assist triple-double proved too much as the Bulls went a game ahead as the ninth-seed.
Miami are now 36-44 on the season, including just 11-20 since the Butler trade. Despite the fact there is still an outside chance of reaching the eighth or ninth-seed -- and therefore have a greater shot at the playoffs -- there are some who have already realized the fate in which the Heat find themselves after sending Butler to the Warriors.
In a stunning article for All You Can Heat on Thursday, writer Wes Goldberg believes Miami should simply rest all their key guys -- Wiggins, Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo -- to close the regular season and simply accept their 10th-seed standing.
..."Rather than toil through meaningless games for the next week, the Heat should find the silver lining – a week off for their star players," Goldberg wrote.
Goldberg believes that a rested Miami may have a better opportunity of making noise in the Play-In Tournament, and if not at least they'll retain better draft odds with their first-round pick currently lottery protected otherwise it will head to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Heat are almost assured to have two first-round picks heading into this year's draft, with their own lottery selection as well as Golden State's top 10 protected pick which was acquired as part of the Butler trade.
While there's still plenty to play out over the course of this season and beyond, there's little doubt that the Warriors can claim themselves as the early winners of the trade through the first two months.