“Michael Jordan Played for $2.3 Million”: Kenny Smith Combats Shaquille O’Neal on Jimmy Butler-Heat Fiasco Using MJ’s Example

Jimmy Butler’s antics to get out of Miami recently caused a heated debate on Inside the NBA. While discussing his actions in the last few weeks, Shaquille O’Neal seemed to be siding with the Heat star whereas Kenny Smith presented a different perspective using Michael Jordan as an example.

When asked if he feels Butler has a responsibility toward the franchise he’s still signed to, Shaq said, “I do.” However, he doesn’t think that the 35-year-old owes the team 100% of his efforts every time he steps on the floor.

Shaq said, “But I’m not gonna go all out…I’m gonna play but I’m not gonna go all out.” The big fella tried to create a distinction between “going all out” and “playing hard” to make his point. He thinks that if Butler injures himself at this age, he will lose out on future opportunities to sign with other teams and get paid for it.

While Shaq solely focused on the next five years of Butler’s career, Smith and Charles Barkley thought that he should serve his current tenure properly. Sensing that the big fella was giving more importance to money, Smith said, “Michael Jordan played for $2.3 million and then said, ‘I signed the contract, I’m going to play.’”

 

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Shaq still wasn’t convinced that Butler should give his all to the Heat franchise in the last stretch. For context, MJ nearly made $94 million throughout his career. If we take out his last two seasons for the Bulls, his career earnings stood at $28,567,500. On the other hand, Butler has already made $$312,047,868 in his career, and is slated to make over $48 million for 2024-25.

In 1998, when the Bulls were going through a major restructuring process, MJ had said, “One thing is for sure. Money won’t keep me in the game. Never.” It was never about just money for him. The same can’t be said about Butler.

Is Shaquille O’Neal right in his assessment of the situation?

A few weeks ago, Butler claimed that he had lost his “joy” of playing basketball and he wouldn’t get it back as long as he was in Miami. Since then, the forward has done everything in his power to force a trade. In the process, he has been suspended twice, including the recent suspension after he didn’t show up for the team’s flight to Milwaukee.

Although Shaq has his best interest in mind, going to such lengths isn’t doing Butler any good. The reason why he is hell-bent on disregarding every order is because the franchise isn’t giving him an extension.

During their discussion on TNT, Smith said that if the franchise felt he was good for an extension, they would’ve handed him one. On one hand, Butler doesn’t have a future mapped out for him as of now, and on the other, he is showing to the rest of the league that there are no limits to how far he can go if his demands are not met.