NBA Rumors: Jimmy Butler Compared To LeBron James By Heat Coach

The Miami Heat are starting a whole new era with Jimmy Butler as its new franchise player. Although the players around him are expected to change, it appears the four-time NBA All-Star is already creating an impression. Head coach Erik Spoelstra seems pretty amazed with his prized acquisition.

One thing Spoelstra noted is Butler's unselfish attitude. Some would remember Butler as the player who wants the basketball in his hands most of the time. But if the Heat coach's words are to be believed, it seems that Butler has matured. Rather than score like crazy, Butler has reportedly shown willingness to sacrifice for the greater good.

“He’s not looking at how many shot attempts he gets or how many points he’s scoring. He really just cares about the bottom line: Are we winning or not? ... But I think that really speaks to his level-headedness and understanding of the big picture,” said Spoelstra to the Miami Herald.

Spoelstra added that Butler reminded him a lot of LeBron James. He singles out how the 6-foot-7 cager wants his teammates involved even if it means passing up scoring opportunities.

"He reminds me of LeBron. He is so aware and mindful of his teammates and he wants his teammates to play well and be in rhythm, even at the expense of his own offense," added Spoelstra.

That could speak well for the Heat. But the question now is who will be staying and who will go? The Heat are looking to rebuild their current cast and fix their financial flexibility. Already out is Hassan Whiteside who is now with the Portland Trail Blazers. Goran Dragic almost got traded while two other names (James Johnson and Dion Waiters) are reportedly on the block. Much of this was covered in a previous post.

The Heat do have promising players like rookie Tyler Herro on board. Depending on how they can pull it off, new (younger) faces are expected moving forward. This should be another test for Butler as far as his patience is concerned. It is no secret that he wants everyone to have that winning attitude regardless of age.

He showed this side of him when he was still with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He had his issues with Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns last year. But it appears he had a good reason and Spoelstra is liking what he sees.