Tim Hardaway Sr. did not hold back when discussing Jimmy Butler’s dramatic exit from the Miami Heat, labeling him a crybaby for the way he handled his dissatisfaction with the franchise. Speaking on Sirius XM Radio, Hardaway Sr. criticized Butler’s behavior, particularly regarding his issues with Miami’s front office and coaching staff.
“I’ve been telling folks this, you know, for the last week, especially here. I didn’t agree with what he was doing. You’re under contract. You’re a baby. You know, you’re a crybaby because they said no to you. We used to get told no all the time, and we knew how to take it. It is what it is.”
“It’s a question. You get a yes or a no. You might not like the answer, but you can’t deviate and mess up the team. All right. They said no. We want to see you play more games. We don’t want to be in play-in games. If he had played more games, they would have never been in the play-in games both years.”
“Even though they went to the championship, they never would have been in the play-in games. That takes a lot out of you. They want to say, look, we want a week off. We want a week to prepare, and we need that week because we play hard each and every game, and we need to rest.”
“All right, so he wasn’t willing to do that. And I fault them for letting him get away with a bunch of stuff. You got to nip it in the bud.”
“When he went after Spoelstra, told Spoelstra that he’d kick his butt at a timeout, and they had to take another timeout because Udonis Haslem was circling around, that should have been like, yo, you’re getting three to five games. You don’t talk to the coach like that. You don’t disrespect the coach like that.”
Hardaway’s comments stem from Butler’s well-documented frustration with Miami’s front office and his desire for a new contract extension. When the Heat declined to offer an immediate max extension, Butler became disgruntled, leading to tension within the team and eventually forcing his way out.
This was not the first time Butler had left an organization under turbulent circumstances, as he had previously forced exits from the Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves.
One of Hardaway Sr.’s biggest criticisms centered on Butler’s availability, or lack thereof. Butler has never played more than 64 games in a single season with the Heat, often prioritizing rest and load management during the regular season.
Hardaway believes this lack of commitment to the full season played a major role in Miami’s struggles, particularly in recent years when they found themselves in back-to-back play-in tournaments.
Miami’s rollercoaster performances in the past few years highlight the issue. In 2022-23, the Heat had the best record in the Eastern Conference before eventually falling short in the Eastern Conference Finals against Boston.
However, in 2023-24 and 2024-25, Miami finished as the No. 8 seed in back-to-back seasons, forcing them into the play-in tournament and making their playoff runs more grueling.
Hardaway Sr. also pointed to Butler’s infamous sideline altercation with Heat coach Erik Spoelstra in 2022, in which Butler and Udonis Haslem nearly came to blows. Hardaway believes Miami’s organization enabled Butler’s behavior, and the lack of discipline allowed tensions to escalate.
Ultimately, Butler got his wish and was traded out of Miami, but his exit was surrounded by controversy. While he was instrumental in leading Miami to two NBA Finals and an Eastern Conference Finals appearance, his inability to play a full season and his off-court drama raised questions about his leadership and long-term commitment.
Whether Butler’s move to his new team will lead to more success or more drama remains to be seen, but Hardaway Sr. made it clear that he is not a fan of how Butler handled his time in Miami.
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