The drama surrounding Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat seems far from over. There seems no show of urgency to complete a deal while suspensions against Butler stack up. The tension even found its way to Inside the NBA, where Sir Charles Barkley had a few things to say about both Pat Riley and Butler. This time, however, Barkley’s stance was clear—he’s not on Butler’s side. Surprisingly, though, Shaquille O’Neal stepped up with a completely different perspective.

During a recent episode, Barkley laid out a sharp critique, making his opinion crystal clear. “Well, Jimmy is going up against Pat Riley. He’s gonna lose,” he said bluntly. Why Chuck think that?

“Jimmy’s just wasting money. I mean, he’s lost $3 million he’s never gonna see. That’s a lot of money, no matter how much money you got. $3 million is a lot. And he’s gonna get traded, but the Heat are not gonna take 50 cents on the dollar. And if you get in a contest with Pat Riley, you’re going to lose, plain and simple.”

While Kenny Smith echoed Barkley’s sentiment, Shaq jumped in to defend Butler. “Not really,” he said, when challenged.

Shaq explained his stance, saying, “I just think in this situation, it’s more about human nature. I know exactly how Jimmy feels. I’ve been in this situation many times. ‘All that I’ve done for you, and you don’t want to give me what I want.’ So human nature kicks in.”

When Charles Barkley and co-hosts argued Butler should handle things more professionally, Shaq responded, “Yeah, but I don’t like it’s his fault and he’s unprofessional. He’s doing that. Human nature kicks in.”

However, if Butler wants to move on, Shaq has a advice for him. “I would like to see him go to Golden State,” Shaq said on On The Big Podcast, explaining how Jimmy’s game could thrive in the Warriors’ system. “He’d get all the way to the lane and kick it out for a three. I’m like, ‘Bro, lay the goddamn ball up!’ That would work in Golden State because of the system they play.”

At one point, Golden State was on Butler’s wishlist, along with the Rockets, Mavericks, and Suns. Yet now, only Phoenix appears to remain in play. But Chuck is not happy with it.

Chuck isn’t buying Jimmy Butler’s drama

Just weeks ago, Charles Barkley didn’t hold back when discussing the swirling rumors of Jimmy Butler potentially heading to Phoenix. Speaking to Arizona Sports, Chuck was clear about his disappointment with how Butler has managed his apparent fallout with Miami. “He’s messing with the wrong guy. Pat Riley let Dwyane Wade go,” Barkley said. “The thing that bothers me about the Jimmy, Jimmy’s making $50 million this year and next year. So, the Miami Heat have been great to him.”

Butler, for his part, hasn’t exactly stayed quiet. After a game against the Pacers, he openly admitted to losing his joy for basketball. It was an unexpected moment of honesty, with Butler making it clear that his focus now is on getting that joy back. Whether it be in South Beach or elsewhere.

Of course, it doesn’t seem like happiness is his only motivator. Butler’s push for a contract extension has been no secret. At 34 years old, though, Riley is unwilling to make that commitment. Instead of opting into his player option next year, Butler appears set on a new deal—a deal Miami doesn’t seem willing to offer.

So what’s next for Butler? Only time will tell.