The Miami Heat were eliminated by the Boston Celtics in the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs as the team was decimated by injuries. Jimmy Butler, Terry Rozier, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Josh Richardson were all out for Miami’s final game.
Now, with eyes toward the offseason, Heat president Pat Riley has completed his annual press conference after Miami’s season. In 2024, Riley didn’t hold back with his words and had a tone that suggested he wasn’t happy with the overall product of the Heat’s year.
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It’s reasonable to understand why, as the Heat were blown out by the Celtics. Riley wants to bring Miami back to the top of the mountain, and it starts with its star players moving forward.
Miami Heat president takes shots at Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro
Riley knows what to say and what not to say when he holds these press conferences. Every word, phrase, and sentence has meaning, and the 79-year-old leader didn’t hold back regarding Butler and Tyler Herro. First, Riley didn’t like Butler’s antics off the court in the first round against Boston.
“For him to say that, I thought, ‘Is that Jimmy trolling or is that Jimmy serious?’” Riley said. “If you’re not on the court playing against Boston, if you’re not on the court playing against the New York Knicks, you should keep your mouth shut in your criticism of those teams.”
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Butler’s comments came as he missed the 2024 NBA playoffs due to an MCL sprain suffered during the Play-In Tournament against the Philadephia 76ers. In fact, Butler’s inability to play in the postseason was one reason behind Riley’s stance on player availability.
Riley said the Heat have a “really good” group of players, but the “No. 1” issue is having those players on the court every night. Out of 89 games during the 2023-’24 NBA season, Miami used a franchise record 37 different starting lineups.
The Heat could never maintain health, so they were in the Play-In Tournament. If Miami could stay healthy, Butler likely wouldn’t get hurt and play the first round against the Celtics. Maybe the team would have had a chance.
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As for Herro, Riley praised his work ethic but acknowledged that his health is an issue. The shooting guard has only played over 60 games twice in his five-year career with Miami.
“[Tyler Herro] has been fragile a little bit, broke his hand last year in the playoffs, had injuries earlier in his career,” Riley said. “His major injuries are real. We hope to get through a season where he’s playing in that 72 to 82-game basis. Maybe one day he will surprise us and play every game. I remember [former Los Angeles Lakers star] James Worthy went through some injuries in his first and second year. It happens sometimes.”
It’s clear what Riley is prioritizing as he looks to bring the Heat back to the NBA Finals—player availability. Almost the entire Eastern Conference is struggling with injuries, and Miami was one of them. Add the recently eliminated Milwaukee Bucks and Philadephia 76ers to the list as well.
If Butler wants the maximum contract extension he desires, he will likely need to finish the season healthy. Why? It seems unrealistic to pay a 37-year-old player around $50 million when he struggles to maintain his health.
For Herro, he may not get another chance with Miami if the team wants to retool around Butler’s timeline. Riley said the Heat won’t trade the star forward, which means they must maximize his window. However, if Butler’s availability is questionable, that window might close soon.
