Will Pat Riley standing on business one day cost the franchise its well-known Heat Culture? That’s the question stirring after Jimmy Butler’s 7-game suspension. A decision reportedly tied to detrimental conduct following Butler’s blunt confession about losing joy for the game in Miami. It’s a big move, but not surprising if you’ve followed Riley’s history. From Shaquille O’Neal to Dwyane Wade, even Miami’s biggest stars haven’t been immune to his tough-love approach. But could this way of doing business be hurting the franchise in the long run?

Celtics legend Paul Pierce seems to think so.

During his recent appearance on Speak on FS1, Pierce had plenty to say about Riley’s role in shaping—and potentially breaking—Heat Culture. While acknowledging Riley’s brilliance in establishing Miami’s winning identity, the former Boston star didn’t shy away from pointing out the cracks, starting with Butler‘s suspension and looking back at the franchise’s history.

“Look at when Heat Culture started,” Pierce said, naming players like Shaq, Alonzo Mourning, Udonis Haslem, and Wade as the pillars. “Look what he’s done to a star player since Heat Culture started. He ran Shaq out of town. You ran LeBron out of town. You ran D-Wade out of town.” And Dwyane Wade’s exit? That one still baffles Pierce.

Think about it—Wade, the face of the franchise, left in 2016 after years of loyalty and delivering a championship. If Riley could let Dwyane Wade walk away, what does that say about his management style? Pierce, however, believes its Riley’s “his way or the highway” approach that’ll destroy the Heat culture. 

The tension between Riley and Shaq, for example, boiled down to the big man not sticking to Riley’s rigid rules. The 4x NBA champ himself admitted on The OGs podcast that while the Heat President adjusted briefly to keep the peace, things reverted as soon as the team’s winning streak ended.

LeBron James’s departure, however, felt a bit different. But Riley’s handling of the situation didn’t help. Instead of persuading James to stay, Riley chose to throw shade at his annual press conference, saying, “You don’t find the first door and run out of it.” LeBron’s response? He found the door—and left for Cleveland.

Riley later admitted the loss of James felt like watching “a dynasty fly out the window.” But that in no way meant Riley going soft when it came to standing on business. Case in point: Wade’s exit from Heat in 2016.

“Didn’t like how they handled me”: Dwyane Wade on why he left Miami Heat

The Flash’s departure from the Miami Heat in 2016 sent shockwaves through the basketball world. After all, this was the player who brought the franchise three championships and was synonymous with its success. So why did Wade leave the team he called home for 13 seasons?

During an appearance on The OGs Show, Wade got candid with Mike Miller and Udonis Haslem, revealing he felt the Heat didn’t show him the respect he deserved. “Didn’t like how they handled me,” Wade confessed. “I don’t care, give me the ‘ride off in the sunset’ contract. I deserve it, motherf*****.”

His frustration was clear—this wasn’t just about money, but feeling valued. Back in 2016, the Heat initially offered Dwyane Wade a 2-year, $20 million deal, later raising it to $40 million. But for Wade, it wasn’t enough. So when the Chicago Bulls offered him $47.5 million, he took it. A decision that, seemingly, was partly out of spite.

Yes, the 3x NBA champ later returned to the franchise for one last dance with the team he loves to the core. But the incident reveals how ruthless Riley can be when standing on his terms. Something Paul Pierce believes will badly hurt Heat Culture in the long run.