Q: Ira, with now a year behind us since Pat Riley verbally assaulted Jimmy Butler, we are all still left with the question: Why? Did Riley want to force Butler out because the tape clearly showed a player who had lost a step and that the elite teams in the NBA can now defend with just a single player and was not worth an extension.? Or, had Riley simply gotten too fed up with the what’s-in-it-for-me players/system, similar to what Nick Saban and Jim Larrañaga expressed on their way toward retirement, and in a very un-Riley-like fashion he vented his frustration? The situation the Heat organization is now in was created by Riley’s presser last year and regardless of the reasons, he shoulders the blame for the pathetic “haul” the Heat received trading Butler. – Brian, Fort Lauderdale.
A: Or did Pat Riley simply ask/demand Jimmy Butler to show up more often and walk the walk as often as he talked the talk? And as much as might be claimed otherwise, it was the Heat’s actions and not Riley’s words that had Butler greasing the skids for an exit. Had Pat Riley said the exact same words but also done it while confirming an extension, the verbal challenge would have been forgotten soon enough. More than seemingly even respect, Jimmy Butler wanted the money. He got that with the Warriors. And the haul for Butler largely was predicated by the box the Heat were forced into.
Q: Do you think anyone in the Heat organization has ever overruled Pat Riley? Bottom line, this is his making. He turned things around before, with the likes of Dwyane Wade, Alonzo Morning, Shaquille O’Neal, LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Ray Allen, Mike Miller and Jimmy Butler, to name a few. The question is can he make it happen again. But isn’t the real problem that there is no easy fix? Is rebuild the only answer? – Bob, Davie.
A: Pat Riley has been overruled before when it has come to the cap and salaries. But he also is not operating in a vacuum, with plenty of input from others, including Andy Elisburg and Erik Spoelstra. Yes, rebuild is one option, but not the only option. Coming weeks should give the Heat a better sense of the timetable for a turnaround, based on what might (or what might not) be available on the market.
Q: Why are Heat fans so critical of what Pat Riley and the Arisons have done, and will do? Does everyone in South Florida not see what the Marlins and Dolphins have done since 2003? Sure, I am disappointed this was kind of meh. But I appreciate the winning seasons, playoff run, and all the continued excitement they provide. – Jonathan, Rochester, N.Y.
A: Including two years ago (yes, it was just two years ago) being in the NBA Finals. Even amid the misery of this season, I would argue the Heat delivered more satisfying moments than the Dolphins this past season and many more than the Marlins have delivered in recent years. Granted, the play-in is the play-in and a losing record is a losing record, but there also should be a degree of appreciation for a franchise that refuses to capitulate. It is easy to talk about tanking and rebuilding and the lottery. It is another thing to endure that on an almost daily and yearly basis.