There should be no question where Jimmy Butler ranks on the Miami Heat’s Mount Rushmore. With Dwyane Wade clearly at the top of the Heat’s players, some would say Butler and LeBron James are interchangeable right after that. The fact that Butler has accomplished so much despite getting less shows his impact on winning and his overall greatness.

Unlike the Big Three era over a decade ago, Butler has led undermanned and underperforming Heat teams to multiple NBA Finals appearances. Some media outlets called his move to South Florida as a free agent in 2019 a lost cause, suggesting he and the team might never make it past the first round of the playoffs. Instead, Butler has carried the franchise on his shoulders to reach two NBA Finals and a seventh game of an Eastern Conference Finals in a five-year span.

Shortly after Miami’s bid for the 2023 championship, John Hollinger, senior editor of The Athletic, said in an article about Butler: “He is among the very best players of his era, an automatic Hall of Famer and at least one of the 100 best players to ever play the game.”

By comparison, in this season’s improbable playoff run that saw him earn an eighth-seed, Butler averaged nearly 30 points per game, including a 56-point explosion against the No. 1 seed Milwaukee Bucks in the first round. He is now the fourth-most scoring player in NBA history.

Despite the fact that there are clear reasons for a future Hall of Fame spot, even Butler would agree that he needs a championship to complete his resume. Given his age, entering his 35th season, there isn’t much room for a dynasty or even a few championships right now. But even a single chip would be enough to establish himself as a recognized NBA legend.

Unfortunately, the Heat are running out of time. Butler is not getting any younger and is coming off a season-ending knee injury. The 2024-25 season could potentially be his last chance to capitalize on this championship window before he fades. A new season, however, brings a clean slate.

This core of Butler, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and Terry Rozier needs a healthy season and a playoff run to make the most of this era of Heat basketball. The talent, depth and coaches are clearly there, it’s just a matter of being available to build the right cohesion and showcase their talents on the court.

As great as the Butler era was, that elusive championship ring remains the only award that caps his impressive tenure with the Heat.