“Gasping for Air”: Jimmy Butler Confirms Pat Riley’s Punishments Has Effected His Health as Worrying Details Emerge

After nearly three weeks on the sidelines, Jimmy Butler wasted no time making an impact. In just 29 minutes, he put up 25 points, knocking down 11 of 13 free throws while adding a couple of rebounds and four assists. No signs of rust—just Butler doing Butler things. It looks like Pat Riley might really have been the problem.

The 6x All-Star rocky season with the Heat wasn’t just about his three suspensions. The team called him out for repeatedly breaking rules, acting against the team’s best interests, and flat-out refusing to play. The Athletic reported that two months before Butler missed that flight which got him suspended, team president Pat Riley made a change to his travel setup. And not just any change—sources claim Riley did it to flex his authority over the star forward.

While Butler could finally break from the Heat, it hasn’t come without its downsides. Multiple suspensions meant that Butler would be out of touch from the fast-paced game. Sitting out minutes when you could’ve been on the court takes away from a professional athlete’s conditioning.

Speaking to reporters postgame, Butler admitted while talking about playing Stephen Curry for the first time, “Whenever I was extremely exhausted, gasping for air over here on the bench, but just to play with him. How smart he is, how unselfish he is, and how he makes the most incredible shots and he wants his teammates should be great. There’s nothing like it.”

The reporter then pointed out how sharp Butler looked despite his time away. Butler, however, kept it real. “Oh, I didn’t feel like it, uh, looks can definitely be deceiving. I was exhausted, but um, I don’t know. I’ve been ripping and running, lifting, working on my game, uh, trying to have fun. While I wasn’t able to compete, but uh tonight, was a good one. And we started off on the right foot.”

Even Steve Kerr felt the same. Despite comparing the 35-year-old veteran to Andre Iguodala, a Warriors legend, in terms of fitness levels, Kerr admitted that the exhaustion caught up with him early. “I never felt like Andre got tired. Jimmy got tired tonight, the first five minutes. I think he was so amped up for the game. But second half he was, he was good.”

Looks like Butler will need to get some training extra sessions in. But we’re sure the competitor that he is he’ll be back to his older self in no time. When Jimmy was on the floor on Saturday, you’d have noticed something different with his jersey. Well, not Golden State’s colors instead of Heat’s but his name.

The reason behind Jimmy Butler’s change in jersey explained

When Jimmy Butler made his Warriors debut, something new stood out—his jersey now read Butler III above the number 10.

This wasn’t just a design choice. Butler made the change to honor his father, debuting it on the one-year anniversary of his passing. “This was big for me to change it, and realize that I am his son,” Butler said. “I’m very grateful. That’s why I’m Butler III.”

On the court, he wasted no time making an impact. Butler dropped 25 points and four assists, shooting 7-for-12 in a 132-111 win over the Bulls.

The Warriors forward took his time settling in, starting the first half with eight points. His shot wasn’t falling early, hitting just 2-of-6 from the field and missing his lone three-point attempt. But he made up for it at the free-throw line, knocking down four of five. He also contributed a rebound and three assists in just over 15 minutes.

After halftime, though, he flipped the switch. Butler dropped seven points in the third quarter and kept it rolling with 10 more in the fourth. That second-half surge was exactly what the Warriors needed.

But the moment was bigger than basketball. His relationship with his father had been complicated—his dad left when he was a baby, and his mother kicked him out at 13. Despite that, Butler reconnected with both, choosing to let go of past resentment.

He was there in his father’s final days, standing by him. Now, his jersey serves as a tribute. “Forever and ever,” Butler said.