Mario Chalmers was an integral piece of the Miami Heat’s championship years in 2012 and 2013.

Alongside LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, the Heat were one of the strongest teams in basketball over a four-season stretch behind the Big Three. Chalmers was the starting point guard, averaging near 10 points a game along with four assists.

In February, Wade appeared on Lou Williams’ podcast Changing the Game, where he suggested Pat Riley played a role in James’ departure in 2014.

Chalmers recently made an appearance on Dwight Howard’s podcast Above the Rim. He shared many of the same sentiments as Wade regarding the end of James’ tenure as a member of the Miami Heat, including how Heat staff took James’ cookies away from him.

“The whole plane was looking at Bron, like, ‘Wait… is he really mad about cookies right now?’ And he was,” Chalmers described.

“He was hot. And I get it, though—he had a routine. Every flight, he had two bowls of chocolate chip cookies. Like, eight in each bowl. Then he’d go to the back of the plane, get two scoops of ice cream, and tear that joint up. So, when they took the cookies? Man… he was pissed. Like, really pissed. And that’s when we all kind of looked at each other like, ‘Oh… this might be it. He’s gone after this season.’ I swear, I don’t ever wanna see that man mad like that again. You better get out of his way if he ain’t got his cookies. And here’s the kicker… we were on a 27-game winning streak. That’s why this is even crazier. We’re on the longest win streak in the league, and you really just removed this man’s cookies?”

Chalmers elaborated on the idea James and the team were micro-managed by Heat president Pat Riley. Even though the team had success, the front office stepped in and managed dietary restrictions.

The Big Three era concluded after the 2013-14 season. James left the organization to return home to Cleveland, where he won a title in 2016. Wade left the Heat after 13 seasons in 2016 to join the Chicago Bulls. Bosh had trouble staying on the court due to medical concerns, which unfortunately ended his career.

REPORT: HEAT MAY PURSUE DURANT THIS OFFSEASON

The Miami Heat have been able to land big-name superstars over the past few decades.

Now, Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant may soon be added to the list.

The Suns are having a rough season. Many in league circles expect the Suns to part with Durant this coming offseason with the team sitting at 29-33, even outside the Play-In Tournament.

The teams expected to pursue Durant this summer are the Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers according to Ashish Mathur of HoopsWire.

The Suns reportedly shopped Durant prior to this season’s trade deadline. However, Durant did not want to be traded midseason like he did in 2023 while with the Brooklyn Nets.

The Heat just experienced their own situation with a superstar being traded after shipping Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors on Feb. 5. There were reports stating the Warriors were prioritizing the idea of re-acquiring Durant instead of fully pursuing Butler. However, after Durant publicly rejected a trade to return to Golden State, the Warriors made the play for Butler.

Even at 36 years old, Durant is playing high-level basketball. He is averaging 26.9 points, six rebounds, and 4.2 assists while shooting 52 percent from the field.

“Durant doesn’t have a no-trade clause in his contract, but he and the Suns are expected to work together on a trade so he can land somewhere he wants to be,” Mathur added.

If the Heat can land Durant, a trio of him, Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo could catapult the team as favorites in the Eastern Conference.

REPORT: MAVS PURSUED BUTLER PRIOR TO DEADLINE

The Dallas Mavericks are one of the more polarizing teams in basketball at the moment.

The NBA and its fanbase continued to be puzzled by the franchise’s decision to trade young superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis prior to last month’s trade deadline.

However, prior to the blockbuster trade involving Doncic, the Mavericks were reportedly interested in acquiring the Miami Heat’s Jimmy Butler according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

“Before the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic in a blockbuster deal to acquire Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round draft pick, the team also expressed interest in Jimmy Butler and Kyle Kuzma, league sources told HoopsHype,” Scotto reported.

The Mavericks were one of a few teams Butler initially preferred as a destination.

Scotto later added, “PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford briefly came up in trade talks for Butler, but exploratory discussions didn’t go far, league sources told HoopsHype. At the time, Miami sought starting-caliber players on short-term deals who could help the Heat compete this season while giving them financial flexibility for the future as part of a trade package for the disgruntled Butler.”

Butler requested a contract extension last summer. Heat president Pat Riley denied the extension, leading to a falling out between the two. Butler’s age made it difficult for Riley and the Heat to commit to more seasons. Butler has a player option this offseason but all signs pointed to him declining that option and entering free agency if not moved prior to the deadline.

Butler would end up being shipped to the Golden State Warriors on Feb. 5 in exchange for Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson and a future protected first-round draft pick.

Sean Jordan is a contributor to Miami Heat On Sports Illustrated. He can be reached at sjorda06@syr.edu.

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