Jimmy Butler is once again at the center of NBA drama, stirring up controversy with the Miami Heat. The Miami Heat have suspended him for the third time, and the NBA world is buzzing. The Heat’s harsh statement about his behavior shocked a lot of people. Brian Windhorst even expressed surprise that the Heat took such a step back from Butler.
Butler certainly has his defenders, though. Stephen A. Smith didn’t mince words when he called out Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra for their handling of the situation. And even DeMarcus Cousins jumped into the conversation, criticizing the Heat for their actions. And now he has an ex-Heat star in his corner.
Tim Hardaway Sr. recently weighed in on the drama between Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat, and he’s not holding back. He places the blame squarely on Heat president Pat Riley for letting things spiral out of control. “That’s Pat’s fault to me” said Hardaway Sr. on the The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis when Draymond Green asked if Butler wasn’t being part of the Heat culture anymore.
“You let him fly on your his own private jet different places and he had beat the team for shoot around.” according to Hardaway Sr. this simple solution could’ve prevented all the drama that has happened. Reports say Butler was suspended earlier this month after the team waited for him on the plane, but he never showed up.
Jan 19, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) walks off the court after greeting court-side friends following the victory over the San Antonio Spurs at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
He argues that Riley didn’t step in to prevent the situation from escalating, allowing Butler to speak out and act however he wanted, saying, “you let Jimmy Butler come in and say this and that…you let it get out of hand.”
However, Hardaway acknowledges the 6x All-Star’s value on the court. He agrees that Butler “deserves his money,”. But he also adds a critical point—Butler can’t expect to get paid big while playing only “60% of the games.”. He also believes that two Heat stars can salvage the situation.
According to Hardaway, it’s on Butler to take the first step, saying, “It’s up to Jimmy, I still think it could work, man. I think, you know, Herro, bam and those guys have to come Jimmy and be like, yo, Jimmy man, we need you, man. Just just come out here and just um play and let the chips fall where they going to fall.”
The message from Hardaway is clear: Butler needs to set aside the personal drama and simply focus on playing basketball. But where he plays basketball remains the question.
Jimmy Butler’s former franchise could swoop him up
As Miami lowers their asking price, more teams could join the talks. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst shared on SportsCenter that “The Heat are really, really trying to make this happen” and noted that their trade expectations have become more flexible. This shift could open the door for teams that were previously hesitant.
One team that might be more interested now is the Minnesota Timberwolves. SNY‘s Ian Begley reports that the Heat showed interest in Julius Randle over the summer and have kept him on their radar during the Butler trade saga. “I don’t know if there are any active trade talks between Minnesota and Miami, but the two teams have been in touch on Butler trades,” Begley said.
Mar 22, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) reacts after arguing with New York Knicks forward Julius Randle (30) during the fourth quarter at Miami-Dade Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
At 30, Randle has been a solid frontcourt scorer for the Timberwolves, putting up 18.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 4.5 assists this season. With Minnesota looking to contend in the loaded Western Conference, they might see Butler as a good fit if they move Randle.
For Miami, adding Randle would give them a reliable scorer to pair with Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo, while also ending the Butler saga. If a deal goes down, expect Butler and some draft picks to be involved. Who knows, Randle could be the piece that gets Miami back into playoff contention.
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