Over seven months have passed since the Miami Heat resolved Jimmy Butler III’s trade request saga by shipping him to the Golden State Warriors. On Wednesday, Heat icon Tim Hardaway revisited the turbulent end to the franchise’s Butler era, shedding further light on the six-time All-Star’s discontent during his final half-season in Miami.
Although Butler experienced the greatest success of his career during his five-and-a-half-year tenure with the Heat, he grew increasingly frustrated with how the organization treated him. Between team president Pat Riley’s May 2024 jab at his reliability and Miami’s reluctance to offer him a lucrative contract extension, the star forward desired a fresh start.
Butler did all he could to force Riley’s hand, receiving three suspensions in January for “conduct detrimental to the team,” “disregard of team rules,” and “intentionally withholding services.” His final ban, which was dubbed “indefinite,” ultimately concluded his Heat stint, as he was traded to Golden State in a blockbuster five-team deal on Feb. 6.
After stumbling to a 37-win finish without Butler, Miami’s long-term outlook remains in flux, leaving Hardaway reflective about how everything unraveled.
How Did Jimmy Butler III’s Relationship With Pat Riley Hit an All-Time Low?
During a Wednesday interview with Action Network, Hardaway, who played for Riley during his Miami coaching tenure, recounted his astonishment over the nature of Butler’s exit.
The 36-year-old defied the odds by guiding the Heat to two NBA Finals appearances in 2020 and 2023. Still, Hardaway noted that Butler’s relationship with Riley became fractured beyond repair.
“I was surprised. But Jimmy is gonna be Jimmy. Jimmy wanted an extension. Pat Riley said, ‘Why do I owe you an extension? You were hurt for the last couple of years going into the play-in game,’” Hardaway recalled.
According to the Hall of Famer, Butler’s growing dissatisfaction took its toll on his entire team, necessitating a change.
“I know some things that were going on there that Jimmy was doing that I can’t reveal, but it wasn’t good, and it wasn’t good for the team,” Hardaway shared. “It wasn’t good for the organization, and it was tearing the organization apart, and it was tearing the team apart a little bit.”
Hardaway added that while Butler “is a great basketball player, he wanted what he wanted.” Meanwhile, Riley, known for his old-fashioned, no-nonsense approach, was determined to “take a stance” against the five-time All-NBA selectee challenging his authority.
“Riley said, ‘If you want to be disgruntled, we could take some of your money,’” Hardaway recounted. “If you are under a contract, you gotta play under the contract, no matter what an owner or GM says, you are still under contract.”
In the aftermath of Butler’s move to Golden State, Miami narrowly squeaked into the 2025 NBA playoffs via the play-in tournament before getting swept 4-0 by the Cleveland Cavaliers in Round 1.
Even so, Hardaway believes his former team should continue to build around its Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro-led core and “try to make the [2026] playoffs” in a weakened Eastern Conference.