“A house divided against itself will not stand. Current Miami Heat players. Y’all hear that? You either in or you out.” Dwyane Wade said it out loud even before the Jimmy Butler controversy gained significant traction. However, the words from the 3x NBA champ at his statue unveiling ceremony were what Butler might want to run through his mind again. Especially now that ‘The Flash’ has decoded his message for the active players in Miami.

D-Wade, through his The WY Network, highlighted that apart from the ongoing reports and rumors, he hears conversations that others don’t get to. “And Tim Hardaway, Zo, UD, everybody who put on a Miami uniform that I know, we were all looking at Riley’s like, ‘Yo! What’s going on over there? Because you trippin.’ We used to iron fist…” Wade said, seemingly referring to the fact that Pat Riley has ruled the Heat with an iron fist—be it decisions involving Shaquille O’Neal, LeBron James, or Dwyane Wade himself.

But the aforementioned players and ‘The Flash’ himself feel Riley is now lacking. And that shouldn’t be the case. What the 3x NBA champ said next sounds relatable to not just his past decision but also to the ongoing Jimmy Butler controversy.

“It’s crazy, because you would think when you in it, you don’t want it. You think you want out. You think you want to go somewhere else. But then when you get out of it, you realize that structure kept you in line because this big world in the NBA will eat you alive,” Wade said. A reflection on his past? Maybe.

But in the present context, it could be a loud and clear message to Jimmy Butler.

As most fans would know, things have not been smooth between Butler and Riley for quite some time. Amid all the drama, the 6x All-Star even expressed his desire to be traded. The reason? Jimmy stated he can no longer find the “joy” of the game in Miami. However, some reports suggest Heat declining him a two-year, $113 million contract extension is one of the primary reasons. An aspect of the game that Dwyane Wade didn’t let go untouched during his explanation.

Firstly, ‘The Flash’ highlighted that when you play for Heat, things are no longer just about you. “When you play at Miami, it’s bigger than that.” He, however, understands that a lot of players play for the bread and not just to win the championships. And the 3x NBA champ did not completely exclude him from this category.

“Some people playing to change their life like I was. I love the game, but it was about my life changing,” Wade said, further highlighting the reason that he told the active Heat players if they don’t want to be here, don’t be here. Once again, something that Butler could reflect on.

There is, however, a huge difference in present circumstances from when Wade left.

Why did Dwyane Wade leave the Miami Heat?

D-Wade’s shocking decision to leave the Miami Heat in 2016 left fans wondering: what went wrong? On the OGs Show, Wade finally opened up to former teammates Mike Miller and Udonis Haslem, sharing a raw and personal side of the story.

“So with the Heat, I ain’t f*** with them at that time,” Wade admitted bluntly. His words reflected the frustration he felt about how the team treated him during his final years in Miami. He demanded a certain level of respect at that point of his career and he didn’t feel that was given to him back then.

“I don’t care, give me the ‘ride off in the sunset’ contract,” he said. The 3x NBA champ emphasized he didn’t care about his production at the time, he felt he deserved a higher contract, and he left when it was denied.

Back in 2016, reports showed Miami initially offered Wade $20 million for two years, later increasing it to $40 million. But for a player of his caliber and experience at that point, it wasn’t just acceptable to him.

However, Butler has yet to earn the stature that D-Wade had. So the only option he has is to stick with the team or leave without creating much trouble. An overall gist of what Dwyane Wade wanted to convey through his message.