Pat Riley recently criticized Jimmy Butler for his trash-talk aimed at the Knicks and Celtics while he was sidelined and unable to play. Butler’s agent Bernie Lee has a problem with how Riley spoke about his client in public and revealed that the Heat and Butler didn’t have any disagreements over his availability.
“Taking issue in games in which he plays is just not reality. This past season, we had a conversation at the start of the year… The priority that was in place was to be able to participate in every game he was physically able to participate in. I can tell you that he lived up to that commitment.”
Lee also hinted at Butler’s upcoming contract negotiations being impacted by this comment by Riley.
“I have too much respect for both what Jimmy’s accomplished in his career and what he’s built to negotiate publicly. I have way too much respect for the franchise that currently employs him to be doing that. So we’re going to go away, we’re going to do our business, and that’s whatever it’s going to be.”
Over his five seasons with the Heat, Butler has played 291 regular-season games out of the 391 that the Heat have played, which explains why Riley feels the need to criticize Butler’s availability. He has averaged 32.7 minutes per game in this stretch, competing his heart out whenever he has been available.
Butler has been mostly available for the postseason, playing in 64 out of the 71 playoff games the Heat have contested in the last five seasons. Five of those missed games in the Heat’s 2024 first-round loss to the Celtics.
Among recent reports of Butler and the Heat possibly splitting up, these recent comments have added a lot of fuel to the fire. The Heat are reportedly eyeing Bam Adebayo as their franchise star now, which would explain Riley’s recently aggressive tone against players like Butler and Tyler Herro.
Butler is on the Philadelphia 76ers’ target list, so the Heat have likely empowered a direct conference rival to make a more aggressive push at acquiring their franchise star.
Pat Riley Told Jimmy Butler To Keep His Mouth Shut If He’s Not Playing
Butler injured his MCL in the Play-in Tournament and was sidelined for the Playoffs as the Celtics made quick work of the Heat in Round 1 by beating them 4-1. Despite not playing, Butler was talking trash on social media and later said he would have sent the Celtics and Knicks home if he was healthy.
For some reason, this comment has pissed Riley off, who slammed his own franchise player in the media.
“For him to say that, I thought, is that Jimmy trolling, or is that Jimmy [being] serious? If you’re not on the court, playing against Boston, or you’re not on the court playing against the New York Knicks, you should keep your mouth shut in your criticism of those teams.”
Riley isn’t going to back down from any player. He’s publicly criticized bigger franchise players like LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, so Butler can’t be shocked he’s faced this end of the criticism. Given the supposed perfect fit between the organization and the star player, this has thrown fans for a loop in terms of their future together.
Butler averaged 20.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.0 assists this season on 34.0 minutes per game, not looking like the sharp version of himself we see in the Playoffs. But because he was injured in the playoffs, no team can give up major assets for a 33-year-old who his own team’s President was calling out.
There’s no Playoff Jimmy to wash away the bad taste of an average regular season, with more people wondering if Butler can stay healthy and perform over 82 games.
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