An “unhinged” Pat Riley’s final efforts to keep Jimmy Butler with the Heat did not quite go as planned.
Miami president’s typical hard-headed, all-business nature went out the window as he was in tears, according to the Athletic, while speaking with Butler in January regarding the disgruntled star’s future.
The Heat ultimately sent Butler to the Warriors but not until after Riley made an attempt to connect with the six-time All Star on a man-to-man level.
Butler lost his father a year ago and Riley felt he could relate as his own father passed when Riley was just 25. He reportedly offered “unsolicited and unwanted” advice to the 35-year-old Butler.
But rather than the star wing feeling touched with a new outlook, he saw Riley as “unhinged” and did not appreciate the gesture, furthermore cementing his want to get out of Miami.
“Riley’s vulnerability did not land with Butler,” a source close to Butler told the outlet. “Butler left the meeting more convinced than ever that he needed a new basketball home.”
The Heat and Butler had been moving toward a divorce for quite some time.
After Butler missed Miami’s first-round series loss to the Celtics last season, he insisted things would have been different had he been healthy.
“If I was playing, Boston would be at home,” Butler said. “New York damn sure would be f–king at home.”
Riley did not appreciate such commentary from someone who played zero minutes in the series.
“If you’re not on the court, playing against Boston, or you’re not on the court playing against the New York Knicks, you should keep your mouth shut in your criticism of those teams,” he said.
That uneasiness carried over into the season and Butler’s preferrence to be traded came to light, to which Riley responded, “We will make it clear — we are not trading Jimmy Butler.”
A week later, the team suspended Butler before the Jan. 7 meeting took place where Riley’s emotional reconciliation attempt brutally failed.
The saga escalated from there, with Butler receiving more suspensions and Riley and the Heat ultimately deciding to make the multi-faceted trade which netted them Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson, Davion Mitchell and a 2025 top-10 protected first-round pick.
When asked if Butler had any regrets with how the whole situation played out, he left Riley and any of the other drama out of his response completely
“I just opened my coffee shop in Miami and can’t go there no more,” he said.
