PSG superstar Neymar sends ‘crazy’ 3-word message to Miami Heat hero Jimmy Butler after stunning NBA performance
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) forward Neymar congratulated Miami Heat hero Jimmy Butler after he inspired the Heatles to a 101-129 win in the NBA at the Philadelphia 76ers.
Butler was the star of the show, scoring 24 points against the 76ers. He made nine of 12 field-goal attempts and finished with six assists. The Heat picked up their third straight win as they continue to push for a guaranteed playoff spot. It was a captivating performance from Jimmy Buckets, and he has received plaudits for his exploits.
PSG attacker Neymar went on to Instagram to laud the Heat player. The Brazilian shared a picture of Butler and captioned it:
"Go crazy bro."
Neymar's love for basketball is well documented, as he has regularly made trips to the US to watch the sport. He and his Parisians teammate Kylian Mbappe met NBA icon LeBron James in 2018 when the American visited Paris. They swapped shirts, with James dubbing Mbappe as "The Chosen One Jnr".
The Brazilian is enjoying some downtime, as he's nursing an ankle injury. He will miss the remainder of the season as he undergoes surgery on his ankle. That has coincided with PSG's drop in form, with the Parisians out of all cup competitions. They have also suffered three defeats in their last five games across competitions.
PSG willing to let Neymar and Lionel Messi leave
PSG are set to undergo a rebuild in the summer amid their disappointing 2022-23 campaign. They are atop Ligue 1 but have a six-point lead over second-placed Lens.
A potential clearout is set to ensue, and the French outfit have listed just seven players deemed untouchable. Mundo Deportivo reports that Neymar and Lionel Messi do not feature in that list, so they could be set to depart.
Neymar sits on a reported £810,000-per-week (per, Salary Sport), but his lack of consistency is becoming an issue at the Parc des Princes. They may be keen to cut their losses on the Brazilian.
He arrived at PSG from Barcelona in 2017 for a world-record £198 million transfer. The Selecao frontman has scored 118 goals and provided 77 assists in 173 games since then. That includes 18 goals and 17 assists in 29 games across competitions this term.
Meanwhile, Messi's contract expires at the end of the season, and a return to Barcelona has been mooted. The Parisians want him to renew terms, but the Argentine wants assurances that the club is moving in the right direction.