Tim Hardaway spent thirteen seasons in the NBA, of which six were for the Miami Heat. Thus, he was no stranger to Pat Riley and his way of running things as a coach and GM. No surprises why he kept a continuous tab on how the Jimmy Butler situation unfolded.
Hardaway played some of his best years under Coach Riley, which included making the 1997 All-NBA First Team. However, despite their on-court success, the former player-coach duo underwent their fair share of tensions. Most of it had to do with Pat’s autocratic leadership.
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Hardaway developed a sense of appreciation and respect for Riley as years passed. The former Heat point guard had openly voiced his support for Pat on various issues, including the fallout against Butler. He did admit to being surprised by how things ended between the Heat and their leading star player.
“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.’ 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,” replied Tim Bug when asked about his reaction to how the Butler era ended in Miami.
“It wasn’t good for the organization, and it was tearing the organization apart, and it was tearing the team apart a little bit,” he added.
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Nonetheless, Hardaway felt Butler could have been more professional in dealing with the situation, given that he was still under contract.
The timeline of the events and ugly exit
In the 2024 playoffs, the Miami Heat lost to the Boston Celtics in five games of the first round. Butler, who missed the entire series due to an MCL injury, felt Boston and New York had lucked out because of his absence. He even took a dig at Josh Hart and Tom Thibodeau.
Learning what Butler said in the viral video, GM Riley did not mince his words.
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“If you’re not on the court playing, you should keep your mouth shut,” stated The Godfather.
While many did not make much of the statement, considering Riley’s disciplinarian image, things only spiraled backwards afterward. Months of failed negotiations regarding a contract extension certainly made Butler unhappy, who went so far as to demand a trade publicly.
What followed was a series of fines, suspensions, and public ill will between the parties involved. Ultimately, Butler got his way out and was traded to the Golden State Warriors ahead of the trade deadline. Sharing the locker room with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, he found joy in playing again.
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Butler did give the Heat its flowers
Despite his dramatic exit, Butler never shied away from showing love to Miami and its fan base. There was indeed a lot of buzz and hype surrounding Jimmy’s first return to Miami since being traded. Jimmy received a mixed reception on his arrival but was honored with a tribute video.
Acknowledging the gesture, Butler discussed his six-year journey with the Heat and how it helped shape him into the leader he is today.
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“It took me back to some good times when I was wearing a Miami Heat jersey. Very appreciative of those times to help me become the player that I am in this league, the individual that I am in this league. The teammate, the leader – all of those things. I don’t think I could be who I am today without my opportunity here,” said Butler, who led the Heat to the 2020 and 2023 NBA Finals.
It is unfortunate how things ended between Butler and Riley, considering they did have a reasonably successful run. Both sides refused to budge from their stance, leading to them almost tearing the organization apart. That said, we hope Jimmy and Pat mend fences in the days ahead, given that the animosity is unsuitable for either of them and their body of work.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 16, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.