It’s been a tough stretch for Miami Heat fans lately. Jimmy Butler’s seven-game suspension for detrimental conduct shook the team. While his return this week brings some hope, the drama off the court doesn’t end there. Amid the turbulence, Miami legend Dwyane Wade decided to address his own infamous departure from the franchise—a moment that still lingers in the minds of fans.

On his The Why with Dwyane Wade podcast, Wade weighed in on the Butler situation, pointing to a lack of communication as the core issue. “Just like every other relationship in the world that goes south, communication is a big thing in the NBA that just, it just won’t get right,” he said. “And that’s why you have these nasty breakups, because no one’s communicating their feelings, their side.”

After all this drama, Butler told Riley in a face-to-face meeting that he didn’t want to continue playing for the Heat. Many reports have stated that a lack of roster upgrades has led to the 6x All-Star’s decision.

Wade’s words struck a chord, especially when he drew parallels to his own controversial exit from Miami. Back in 2016, Wade left the Heat after 13 seasons.

“Like, when I left, I heard Pat Riley say something about how he wished he would have done, handled me. That would have been perfectly fine with me if we would have sat down and talked about it that way,” he admitted on the podcast. “I actually could have signed up for that plan, because you let me know.”

The frustration ran deep for Wade, who had aired his grievances during an appearance on The OGs Show. “So with the Heat, I ain’t fu-king with them at that time,” he said. “I didn’t like how they handled me, and so I had to go… I just didn’t feel that was given back to me at that time in my career.” For Wade, respect mattered as much as loyalty—and he felt shortchanged.

Still, time has softened some of the bitterness. “Do I wish that happened? I wish that didn’t happen. Yeah, of course,” Wade admitted. “Man, I would love to be one team. One team, one voice, one sound.” Just like Wade, Pat Riley has expressed regret over how things unfolded as well.

Pat Riley regrets D-Wade’s Heat exit

Back in 2016, Dwyane Wade left Miami Heat to join the Chicago Bulls, signing a two-year contract worth a staggering $47 million. The decision came after negotiations with the Heat collapsed, as Miami only put a two-year, $20 million deal on the table. Although Wade eventually returned to the Heat in 2018, his exit left a mark on Pat Riley, who admitted the failure wasn’t just on Wade’s part.

“It was as much my fault as it was Micky [Arison]’s,” Riley later acknowledged. Riley regretted that incident. “I was sad to see him go, I was upset that he went,” he shared. “I knew we could work something out, but we didn’t. We did not work it out the way that he wanted it to be worked out, and that’s our fault.”

Even at age 35, Wade didn’t disappoint in Chicago. Despite slowing down, he averaged a solid 18.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. He led the Bulls to the NBA Playoffs alongside Butler but faced an early exit in the first round against the Celtics.

Still, Riley’s admiration for Wade remains strong. He’s called him “the face of the franchise” and gushed over his legacy. “Dwyane’s legacy is a towering one, not only for the Miami Heat but for Miami-Wade County,” Riley said in 2020. “I can’t think of a better way to honor him than by memorializing that legacy.” Riley’s words prove that, despite past missteps, Wade’s impact on Miami will never fade.