Jimmy Butler is in Play for the Heat… Duh.

When is news not news?

When we’ve been saying it for months.

Jimmy Butler has had the Miami Heat first on his list since roughly September, when we told you that, and others weren’t including them in his final four. It didn’t happen then, but it wasn’t because he didn’t want it to. It was because Thibs was playing the role of George in Seinfeld, wanting to get fired.

Butler is a free agent now, and it’s unclear why anyone is surprised he still may want to be here. (I would take out the “may” but I’ll hedge a little, until he meets with the Heat.)

Well, now that meeting is finally happening, and while the Heat aren’t in ideal position in terms of cap space, they’ve been signaling that if Butler just says he wants to play for them, they can figure something out. They have the best cap guy anywhere in Andy Elisburg, and Pat Riley was clear in his end-of-season presser that he was waiting for a star to get disgruntled and become available. After all, this is how he’s gotten nearly every core piece of his Heat tenure, with the exception of Dwyane Wade. Zo. Timmy. Shaq. Mash. And yes, Bron and CB. All wanted out of where they were, for one reason or another.

Riley is a scavenger more than he’s a nester.

And now he has an important ally.

Dwyane Wade is not only close to Butler, but he is no longer close to tampering trouble, since he is no longer employed by the Miami Heat.

So this came Friday night, with Wade somewhere in the Orient.

Nah bro. Let’s kill that rumor now. It would only be for the HEAT! @JimmyButler what’s good 😂😂😂 https://t.co/Va497k4uPt

— DWade (@DwyaneWade) June 29, 2019

Hmm. That seemed out of nowhere.

Or maybe it’s not.

Maybe it’s calculated.

Because this was the response.

hey big head. https://t.co/iYDvs2nos2

— Jimmy Butler (@JimmyButler) June 29, 2019

Just a little chop-busting between buddies on Twitter?

Nah.

The Heat know what they’re doing here. Wade knows what he’s doing.

Because today, Saturday, came this:

Sources: Jimmy Butler expected to meet the Miami Heat in South Fla. Sunday. Butler/Rockets meeting likely early week in LA. Sixers haven’t ruled out working with Butler on sign-and-trades, which Miami and Houston need to acquire the All-Star guard.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2019

If Jimmy says he wants to be in Miami — which I believe he does — I believe it will happen. https://t.co/6u2y810zsw

— Five Reasons Sports Network (@5ReasonsSports) June 29, 2019

Because who the hell wants to play with Chris Paul?

Anyone in NBA history?

And this:

Jimmy Butler is already in Miami ahead of his meeting with the Heat tomorrow & worked out with Wade 👀 pic.twitter.com/T7dLRyK2vL

— ___ (@dru_star) June 29, 2019

It’s all so remarkably coincidental.

We told you months ago “something’s coming.”

Just a little early, maybe?