Now, we know that Jimmy Butler and the Heat have entered into something of a strained phase in their relationship. The lack of a contract extension like we have seen happen with stars of other teams and Pat Riley’s public criticism of Butler’s remarks have all been worrisome for the Heat community. And while it looks like many hope for a reconciliation sooner or later, a Miami hoops legend believes it might not be so simple.

Tim Hardaway Sr., joining the All the Smoke podcast, provides his perspective on the whole drama. Hardaway says, “I was waiting on that! I knew something was gon’ happen. I told some people, I said, ‘Pat gon talk this year.’ [Pat Riley’s] tired of a lot of things that’s going on with the team. He’s tired of Jimmy Butler.” 

In an ideal scenario, Miami is THE destination for new and veteran players. It is one of the top NBA franchises with a rich history and the famous Heat culture to go with it. The combination of Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo and that extra incentive of living in Miami would be hard to negate. Despite all of it, the franchise has yet to touch that Larry O’Brien.

Sure, they have made three Finals appearances since their back-to-back championships. And not once under the 6x All-Star’s leadership have they not made it to the playoffs, which includes two Finals runs. But that’s where it ends.

“Directly, ‘Yo dude you haven’t played in a lot of games this year or last year… I need you to play in the playoffs. If you play more than 70 games, we wouldn’t be in play-in games, two years in a row. You need to take care of your body,'” Tim Hardaway Sr. said while trying to explain what Pat Riley was hinting at.

Since his arrival in Miami, Jimmy Butler hasn’t played in more than 64 games. Add his playoff absence and Pat had enough. The final straw was Playoff Jimmy’s dig at two East powerhouses – the Knicks and reigning champions, Boston.

Amidst all the chaos around Jimmy, the majority of sources believe that Butler is not expected to leave or sign an extension ahead of his potential 2025 free agency. Shams Charania reported that the hooper will instead play out this coming season and is “absolutely determined” to have a big year and garner suitors for a big payday next summer when he has a $52.4 million player option.

Interestingly, Stephen Jackson also noted that the Butler hit might have been aimed at another Heat member.

Ex-NBA champ suggests Pat Riley’s Jimmy Butler critique targeted another Heat player who hasn’t lived up to the hype

Jackson believes that the ‘Godfather’ might have just killed two birds with one stone. The Texas native said that Pat had been “babying Tyler Herro for a minute. He stayin’ hurt. He ain’t showed up yet.” The 2022 Sixth Man of the Year has had a tough few years. From the multiple injuries he sustained, leaving him sidelined for long periods, particularly during crucial stretches in the playoffs, trade rumors, and pretty much being the scapegoat on social media for a seven-game losing streak, it’s been eventful, to say the least.

But it feels like it was only yesterday that the young guard said in a 2022 interview that he felt he earned a spot as a starter. Back then, the Heat President had quite a little speech for Herro, followed by a challenge. “I saw improvement in his defense this year. He’s got great feet; he’s got quick feet. He just needs to get stronger, again, and another 10 pounds of muscle mass,” Riley said as a warm-up. “As far as being a starter, come to training camp and win it. Sometimes it’s that easy.”

Well, he certainly accepted the challenge, given that the 2022-23 season saw him start in all 67 games he played. As for the last season, with the exception of two, Herro was amongst the starters in 40 games. And if we look at the numbers he has put up, they show a steady improvement, too. In his first three seasons with Miami, the Kentucky alum averaged 16.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists.

However, in the last two seasons, Herro posted 20.4 points, grabbed 5.3 rebounds, and dished out 4.3 assists per game. As for his shooting, the 24-year-old has kept it solid in both these instances – 44.0% from the field and 38.5% from the three-point line.

So, although Stephen Jackson suggested it would be the case, Tim Hardaway Sr. wasn’t too sold on the idea. And numbers don’t lie, either. Anyway, we will leave it to you to decide what the truth of the matter is. But as far as Jimmy Butler is concerned, the ball is in his court. Literally and figuratively.

Before you go, remember to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Silas Demary Jr.