Former Heat star calls out Jimmy Butler for going against organization

As the days go by, the Miami Heat are getting closer to dealing with Jimmy Butler again. His seven-game suspension will be over by Friday’s home matchup against the Denver Nuggets, and there are some clear question marks that are already rising. 

Will Butler be committed to moving past this fiasco for the sake of himself and the team? Will things get even uglier than they already are? Is he going to be benched by coach Erik Spoelstra? 

There is a lot that can unfold here, as the dry trade market with underwhelming offers for the disgruntled Butler has put both sides to a standstill. It has been clear in reports that the Heat are not willing to accept any deal that doesn’t make sense for them. Unfortunately for each side involved, his latest antics has put Miami in the position to have little to no leverage in talks.

It has been reported that the Heat star will be expected to play following his suspension. With all the uncertainty on how everything is going to play out in the coming days and weeks, the chatter around the league continues to be high.

Hall of Famer and former Heat legend Tim Hardaway Sr. recently spoke on the Butler situation.

“This boat is going to sail on top of the water as long as Pat Riley is there. Jimmy Butler is trying to sink that ship. That ship is not going to sink…I know (Riley) gave (the NBPA)  a 10 page letter and I know he gave them some film to show them why he suspended him.”

In the same interview with Hardaway, he also addressed the recent Paul Pierce comments that have been circling the internet. Pierce has made public remarks bashing Pat Riley and the Heat, noting that any future superstar isn’t going to want to play for Miami after the way the Butler situation has gone down. Hardaway responded to these comments, stating that Pierce “has been hating on the Heat since day one.”

“Let’s talk about Paul Pierce. Paul said he’s better than D-Wade. You out your mind,” Hardaway said. “You’ve been smoking too much, to tell you the ‘truth’. You’ve been hating on the Heat since Ray Allen left Boston to go to Miami. He’s been hating on the Heat and Pat Riley since day one.”

A former teammate of Pierce in Tony Allen shared his opinion on the Butler saga in a podcast with them two and Kevin Garnett. Allen proceeded to state that he feels the way Butler has handled this situation is “childish”, and provided a non-biased view (unlike Pierce) of what has transpired. 

The Heat and Butler are at the thick of NBA headlines since this has all escalated. There has been a plethora of comments from media, former players and even current players since it has all gone down. Whatever side each fan is on during this Butler vs Riley feud, it is more reasonable to understand both sides. 

Butler has put Miami back on the map as a relevant team in the Eastern Conference during this six-year build. He is also still capable of being that guy to lead a team in another deep playoff run. But in Riley’s case, it is tough to make a max contract investment in a soon-to-be 36 year-old player that has struggled with availability during his entire Heat tenure. He has appeared in just 22 games for Miami this season— on pace to play the lowest amount since his rookie season. 

In those games, Butler is averaging 17.4 points, his lowest since 2013, along with 5.5 rebounds and 4.7 assists on a career-high 55% shooting. His quiet quitting on the court during his last few matchups has not helped his overall season averages. 

At the end of the day, a lot of these debates between the media and former players are justified. With no traction in any trades thus far, the Heat’s next domino to fall could come during Butler’s anticipated return back with the team later this week.