Why NBA Fans Are Saying A Bad Boys Promo Predicted Jimmy Butler's Miami Heat Drama Months Ago
This is wild.
As the new year kicks off, there’s drama afoot within the NBA, and I’m not just talking about the war of words between Charles Barkley and JJ Redick, the coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. There’s also the matter of Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler, who’s been at the center of trade rumors in recent weeks. Butler himself even made comments that seemingly contributed to him being suspended. Now, amid the drama, fans believe a Bad Boys promo that Butler participated in months ago foreshadowed this entire situation.
How Did The Bad Boys Promo Seemingly Predict The Heat’s Situation?
Summer 2024 marked the release of the latest installment in the Bad Boys saga (which we ranked), Ride or Die. With that, a marketing campaign was launched, and there was even some cross-promotion between the film and the NBA. One promo saw Will Smith and Martin Lawrence reprise their roles as Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett, respectively. During the ad, they learn that Jimmy Butler is aiming to leave the Miami Heat and, as a result, the six-time All-Star rolls up to their pad seeking to join their ranks. Check it out:
Even I have to admit that’s quite the coincidence. The Olympic gold medal winner’s theoretical departure from the Florida-based team is obviously portrayed humorously in the context of the clip. However, it’s a bit eerie considering what’s been going down in real life as of late. I’m not the only one who thinks so, by the looks of it, some fans were lost for words after a portion of the promo was recently shared to X:
- Oh my😭 - @Samuelt20_
- They knew… - @Size13Bnard
- OMG that‘s some foreshadowing sh** 😨😅 - @Emcee30mc
- Na thats crazy. - @dm001770
I still find the video as a whole to be funny, but it’s now difficult not to place it within the context of the Miami Heat’s current conflict. On the bright side, as mentioned by at least one fan, the ad ends with the former Marquette player returning to his NBA squad. However, given what’s been happening as of late, it’s unclear as to whether life will imitate art in that way.
Where Does Jimmy Butler Currently Stand With The Miami Heat?
At the end of December 2024, ESPN insider Shams Charania reported that Jimmy Butler wanted to be traded by the Heat. However, both Butler’s agent as well as the organization itself denied those claims. However, that tune changed days ago, following comments that the athlete made following a loss to the Indiana Paces. When asked if he could find joy on the court again by staying in Miami, Butler simply said, “probably not.” The team subsequently shared on X that Butler had been suspended seven games due to “multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team.” And, on that same day, it was confirmed that the team would listen to trade offers.
So that leaves one to wonder just what lies ahead for the 35-year-old basketball player. There are certainly multiple possibilities for him, though something I can’t see happening is him joining Martin Lawrence and Will Smith’s box office-dominant Bad Boys franchise. (After all, a fifth film in the saga hasn’t even been announced, though Smith isn’t opposed to one.) Sports fans like me will probably be anxious to see what lies ahead for Mr. Butler but, in the meantime, I just have to marvel at the retroactive awkwardness of the commercial.
As previously mentioned, there are no Bad Boys films lined up for the 2025 movie schedule, but you can still stream Ride or Die now using an active Netflix subscription.
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Erik Swann is a Senior Content Producer at CinemaBlend. He began working with the publication in 2020 when he was hired as Weekend Editor. Today, he continues to write, edit and handle social media responsibilities over the weekend. On weekdays, he also writes TV and movie-related news and helps out with editing and social media as needed. He graduated from the University of Maryland, where he received a degree in Broadcast Journalism. After shifting into multi-platform journalism, he started working as a freelance writer and editor before joining CB. Covers superheroes, sci-fi, comedy, and almost anything else in film and TV. He eats more pizza than the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.