Is the ongoing drama between the Miami Heat and Jimmy Butler the fault of team president Pat Riley? One former star for the team thinks so.
There is no bigger story in the NBA right now than the Jimmy Butler saga in South Beach. It all started this summer when rumors spread that he was seeking a new long-term extension. However, the organization had no interest in acquiescing to his request at that time.
Related: Where do the Miami Heat land in our latest NBA power rankings?
It led to trade speculation in June that eventually died down by the time training camps opened. In October it looked like Butler would play out the season and the issue would be addressed in the summer. However, it wasn’t long before cracks began to show in the public relations facade.
By December reports of the six-time All-Star’s unhappiness swirled and he eventually went public with his veiled interest in playing elsewhere. After being handed a seven-game suspension for his public dissatisfaction the hope again was that cooler heads would prevail and it could be talked about after the season.
Unfortunately for the Miami Heat, Butler remained set on playing in another city this season and he was indefinitely suspended recently after walking out of practice. It is a situation that has gotten ugly fast. While most blame the player, Heat legend Tim Hardaway believes a lot of it falls on team president Pat Riley.
- Jimmy Butler stats (2024): 18.5 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 4.9 APG, 1.3 SPG, 36% 3PT
Tim Hardaway blames Pat Riley for ongoing Miami Heat-Jimmy Butler drama
“That’s Pat’s fault to me,” Hardaway began by saying on the “Draymond Green Show,” this week. “You let him fly on his own private jet to different places. And he’ll meet the team for shoot around. You let that stuff get out of hand. You let Jimmy Butler come in and say this and that. Now I am going to tell you this. [Butler] deserves his money. Everybody deserves their money. But you can’t play 60% of the games, and we’re in the play-in game, and we have to work twice as hard to get to where we need to get to. I need to not be in the play-in game.”
The five-time All-Star is referencing reports from earlier this month that claimed Butler started separating himself from his teammates by traveling on a private jet instead of with the charter. It was one of many moments that helped things spiral out of control between him and the Miami Heat over the last couple of months.
- Jimmy Butler contract: Three years, $146.3 million
The point from the Hall-of-Famer is fair. If Riley had not allowed that from the start maybe things would have played out differently. But he clearly thought he would be able to talk some sense into the 35-year-old. That, unfortunately, never happened and he is likely to be moved before the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline.
Related: Find out where Jimmy Butler lands in our rankings of the 50 best NBA players right now