If a player had tried to cause a scene after demanding a trade during the days of Tim Hardaway’s NBA career, they would have been mocked and ridiculed. So it’s no surprise to see the Hall of Fame point guard call out Jimmy Butler for his antics with the Miami Heat this season.
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Hardaway, who spent six of his best years with the Heat, didn’t agree with Butler’s decision-making throughout the process and made his belief clear that Butler should have handled himself more professionally after being denied a contract extension.
The 13-year veteran believes the six-time All-Star still should have made an effort to play, considering he was still getting paid even if the extremely public beef had pushed them past the point of no return.
“[Butler’s] a crybaby because they said no to you,” Hardaway said of Butler during his appearance on SiriusXM NBA Radio. “We used to get said no to us all the time. And we used to know how to take it.”
Hardaway underlined that not every player’s request is going to be answered with a resounding “yes,” but that doesn’t mean it’s acceptable to deviate from the team’s goal and mess up the roster’s chemistry.
The five-time All-Star also pointed out that if Butler had played more regular season contests throughout his tenure, Miami wouldn’t have been stuck in the play-in tournament the last two seasons.
The Heat may have made the NBA Finals in 2022-23, but Hardaway knows the extra obstacle of a play-in game makes the trek to a title even more grueling.
“[Jimmy Butler’s] a baby. [He’s] a crybaby”
Heat and Warriors legend Tim Hardaway Sr. had some choice words for Jimmy Butler with @TheFrankIsola and @TermineRadio #HeatCulture pic.twitter.com/26QkHPiF0V
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) February 18, 2025
The franchise had been competitive every season of Butler’s tenure in South Beach, making the postseason each year and reaching the Finals twice. Butler will have a chance to rebuild his reputation with the Golden State Warriors, but it’s clear Hardaway blamed Butler for messing up a good thing with the Miami Heat.
Charles Barkley also criticized Butler’s voluntary absence
After a second suspension in three weeks, tensions were at an all-time high between Butler and his former franchise as the trade deadline neared. The Inside the NBA crew gave their opinion on the heated situation, with Shaquille O’Neal, who also had his fair share of issues with Pat Riley during his Heat tenure, the lone member of the group to understand Butler’s viewpoint.
However, Kenny Smith, Ernie Johnson, and Charles Barkley underlined their collective belief that Butler should have been playing for the money he was being paid. Chuck stated how Butler wasn’t just hurting the Heat organization but his teammates as well. Barkley said,
“You can get mad at the Miami Heat organization, but the fans of Miami and those guys in that locker room have nothing to do with you wanting a contract extension.”
This long-standing feud finally came to an end at the trade deadline. However, after everything that has happened, other stars may want to look to Butler’s situation to learn what not to do if they want to move on from their current franchise.
