Upcoming season is no 3-for-all
Butler says he doesn’t believe in ‘the hype of a Big Three’
MIAMI — Even if the Miami Heat have a big three, Jimmy Butler made clear Tuesday that they’re not considering it a Big Three.
For now, he said himself, Kyle Lowry and Bam Adebayo plan to keep it lower case and low key when it comes to standing as leading men.
“I don’t believe the hype of a Big Three,” Butler said after the Heat completed their first session of training camp at FTX Arena. “We have a bunch of guys that can do things . . . . All of our guys can play.
“Yeah, we’re probably the three leaders that everybody’s going to look towards and look at, but we’re not going to be able to do it without everybody else around it.”
Still, Butler, Adebayo and coach Erik Spoelstra said there was a tangible difference with Lowry making his debut on the Heat’s practice court.
“He just has a voice, a mind, and a way about him,” Spoelstra said. “He can get everybody organized, particularly as we’re installing very quickly. But with veteran guys and high-IQ guys, they can kind of take the reins until we get all the details in, particularly on offense.
“But he’s your classic, prototypical all-league quarterback. He can organize the gym for you.”
Butler said Lowry was the perfect counter to the weightiness often felt at Heat practices.
“More than anything, he keeps it lighthearted,” Butler said. “He keeps the game fun, joking around, never backing down from any type of challenge. Those are the guys you want out there with you. It’s easy to follow suit when you got that.”
To power forward P.J. Tucker, another newcomer, Lowry is just another dog to run alongside.
“It’s the pound, man. It’s the dog pound, for sure,” Tucker said of the gritty composition of the roster. “Yeah, that’s my new thing this year. The pound, because it’s not just me, it’s all of us.
“Every second of it was intense. A lot of communicating, a lot of talking, a lot of hard work.”
Haslem tribute
Captain Udonis Haslem remained away from the team in the wake of the recent death of his father, with Adebayo paying tribute by working in a No. 40 practice jersey.
“It was just something I wanted to do, because he’s not here and I know how much he wants to be here,” Adebayo said. “So I was just showing my support for him and letting the guys know he’s still here, even though he’s not here.
“You’ll still see 40 going around the gym. I actually practiced good in it, so I might keep his jersey.”
Spoelstra said 18 players participated in practice, with guard Victor Oladipo still working back from May quadriceps surgery.
New normal
No Heat players wore masks after practice during drill work or while on the side, another indication of the team being vaccinated.
Spoelstra said the session felt like another move toward normalcy.
“This first day felt considerably different than last year’s training camp felt this day,” he said, amid pandemic restrictions remaining in place. “It’s not like going all the way back to normal, but it definitely felt better.”
Battier’s back
Shane Battier, who continues to work with the team, was among those who watched practice from the executive table.
Battier then had a lengthy conversation after practice with Lowry, with the two teammates with the Houston Rockets for three seasons.
The Heat are listing Battier as a Strategic Consultant.
Kasib Powell, recently named coach of the Heat’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, is among those assisting Spoelstra during training camp.