Heat’s Kevin Love using social media to bring levity to Jimmy Butler saga. Also, Tyler Herro out

The Jimmy Butler saga continues to loom over the Miami Heat, creating some tense and uncomfortable moments for all parties involved. But Heat veteran Kevin Love is using social media to bring a welcomed element to what has become a difficult and complex situation.

Levity.

“That’s the word I’ve been using,” Love said. “I mean, the good news is people know not to take me too seriously when it comes to stuff like this.”

Among the string of Instagram posts that Love has sent out amid the Butler drama:

▪ When the Heat suspended Butler without pay for seven games and announced it would begin listening to trade offers for him on Jan. 3 after Butler said he lost his on-court “joy” with the Heat, Love recreated the cover of R&B group Boyz II Men’s 1997 album “Evolution.”

The photo-shopped image posted to Instagram featured the heads of Heat guard Tyler Herro, Love, Butler and Philadelphia 76ers guard Kyle Lowry, who the Heat traded last season, on the bodies of the members of Boyz II Men. The R&B group’s song, “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday,” was the audio attached to the post.

▪ When news surfaced on Jan. 6 that the Heat would expect Butler to rejoin the team and play in games if he was on the roster at the end of his suspension, Love posted the video of a famous scene from “The Godfather Part III.”

The memorable line from the scene spoken by the character Michael Corleone, a role played by actor Al Pacino, is: “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.”

▪ When it became clear that Butler was set to make his Heat return late last week after serving his team-issued seven-game suspension and meeting with Heat owner Micky Arison, Love posted Thursday the video of a famous scene from “The Wolf of Wall Street.”

“I’m not leaving. I’m not [expletive] leaving,” character Jordan Belfort, played by actor Leonardo DiCaprio, says in the scene.

With this post, Love used the caption, “LIVE LOOK — Jimmy after his meeting with Micky #getmyjoyback.”

“I do think there is, in a heavy situation or a time where it can be a dark cloud over everything, I think that that levity brings just a breath of fresh air,” Love said ahead of the Heat’s matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night at Kaseya Center to close a three-game homestand. “Guys get engaged in it and it’s fun. And the fan base gets engaged in it. They love it, the front office has been super cool about it, the coaching staff finds it funny, as well.”

Love’s recent string of amusing Instagram posts began with one aimed at Herro for his role in the altercation between the Heat and Houston Rockets on Dec. 29.

Love’s latest Instagram post came Monday, posting photos of Heat teammate Duncan Robinson’s dunk over San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama with the caption, “The pride of New Hampshire — Duncan McBryde Robinson.”

“It’s been really fun to do,” Love said. “That’s just how my brain works, as well. So when the fight [with the Rockets] first happened, that’s where it all started and I was like: ‘Oh, I can do this all the time and people love this.’ So as long as I’m not taking it too far, I can do this the right way and get the fans involved. Now, I think just picking my spots and finding ways to keep it rolling.”

Love is the one behind all of it, too. He’s the one coming up with the idea for the Instagram post, he’s the one editing the video used in the post and he’s the one writing the captions for the post.

“It’s crazy because my mind just thinks of this stuff all the time,” Love said. “Like, ‘Oh my god, that would be great. That would be very applicable to this situation.’

“I have more in the bag. There’s one that I have about coach [Pat] Riley that’s hilarious. It’s all time, so funny. People will obviously get it.”

Those within the Heat organization definitely get it, with many complimenting Love’s entertaining run of Instagram posts even in the middle of a hard time for the team.

“At the end of the day, [Heat coach Erik Spoelstra] and even [Heat general manager Andy Elisburg] were like: ‘They’re pretty funny,’” Love said. “And then coach Riley was like, ‘I’m not a social media guy, but you’re getting people going.’ He’s like, ‘I get it, I get it.’ Then Spo was like, ‘It’s hilarious.’”

It’s all part of Love’s push to make some within the Heat smile and laugh during a tough time. As a 36-year-old veteran who’s a five-time NBA All-Star and won an NBA championship in 2016, Love has taken on a leadership role with the Heat at this late stage of his playing career.

Love began the season as the Heat’s backup center. But Love has only played in two of the last 16 games leading up to Tuesday’s matchup against the Trail Blazers after rookie Kel’el Ware took over as the team’s backup center.

“People have said I should start showing my humor more on social media,” Love said. “So this is kind of my way of doing it. I feel like people really don’t know me. The guys in there know me. But now outwardly expressing it, I think it just engages everybody else.”

All the while, Love continues to keep an open dialogue with Butler. The two have developed a close friendship since becoming Heat teammates in February 2023.

While Butler is now back with the Heat after a drama-filled few weeks that included a trade request and suspension, his thinking hasn’t changed. Butler still wants the Heat to trade him and the Heat will still try to trade him ahead of the NBA’s Feb. 6 trade deadline, according to league sources.

“Just hearing him, listening, FaceTiming him, texting him like, ‘Hey, what do you need? Is there anything you need from me?’” Love said of his recent conversations with Butler. “I come at it from a point of like, OK, forget the basketball component. Like, how are you, really? And just, what do you need from me? Regardless of where the situation is or where it’s going to go or where it’s been in the past. Right now, in this moment being present, what do you need from me? That’s all I’ve been doing for him.”

HERRO INJURY UPDATE

After being added to the Heat’s injury report on Tuesday afternoon, Herro was ruled out for Tuesday night’s matchup against the Trail Blazers because of right groin tightness. It marked the first game that Herro has missed this season.

Herro doesn’t expect the injury to be a long-term issue and hopes to be back for the Heat’s next game — Thursday against the Bucks in Milwaukee.

Along with missing Herro, the Heat is also without Josh Richardson (right heel inflammation), Dru Smith (left Achilles surgery) and Isaiah Stevens (G League) against the Trail Blazers.