The wounds of the failed 2022 postseason run are still fresh for Jimmy Butler. 

Butler openly admitted that he’s not yet ready to be engaged with basketball conversations this offseason. 

His Miami Heat-led team just came up short to seal a deep playoff journey this year, falling in a seven-game grueling series against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. 

“Man, honestly, I’m not ready to talk about basketball yet,” Butler said, via Front Office Sports. “I’m still in my feelings, so I don’t really get into it. I can’t. You’re opening up a door of emotions. I just want to talk about coffee and ice cream, my brother.”

Amid ankle issues, Butler was a monster on both ends of the floor against the Celtics, averaging 25.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.0 steals for the whole series. 

But the pivotal Game 7 might haunt him literally for a while, as his late-game heroics didn’t go well as planned to nail a legendary come from behind win to punch a ticket to the NBA Finals. 

As such, this year’s collapse can serve as a blessing in disguise for the star swingman to deliver an empathic comeback season.