The Miami Heat lost 98-109 at the Intuit Dome last night as Jimmy Butler served the sixth game of his suspension. He will be able to return to the lineup after the Heat take on the Lakers on Wednesday night. However, some members of the NBA community believe that it would be in Miami’s best interests to ship him out sooner rather than later.
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“We’re all tired of this s**t. Let him go,” Theo Pinson said on his podcast ‘Run Your Race’. His guest Raymond Felton agreed with that take and argued that Butler likely wouldn’t bring any more positive contributions to the Heat. “Once he go, he goes, he don’t care,” the 2005 NCAA champion explained.
Butler has already mentally checked out from the team, according to Felton, and keeping him around longer would put the team’s chemistry in further jeopardy. On the podcast, Pinson and Felton discussed where the six-time All-Star is likely to land and also discussed his potential fit in Phoenix.
“I don’t know how much this helps the Suns,” Pinson added. His co-hosts were in agreement as they responded, “It doesn’t if you gotta get rid of Bradley Beal. And then you just get older.”
The main reason Butler is linked with teams like the Suns and the Warriors is because he pairs best with veteran superstars like himself who have limited championship windows. However, the panel on ‘Run Your Race’ doesn’t see the value in trading a 31-year-old Beal for a 35-year-old Butler.
They aren’t the only ones to voice their frustration with the Butler trade saga either.
Tim Hardaway Sr. sides with Pat Riley on Butler’s suspension
The Hall of Famer and inventor of the crossover, Tim Hardaway joined SiriusXM’s NBA Radio earlier this week to discuss Butler’s seven-game suspension from the Miami Heat.
“You don’t disrespect authority and that’s what Jimmy Butler has been doing,” the five-time All-Star commented. When Hardaway was a player for the Heat, his head coach was Pat Riley. As such, the point guard understood what kind of relationship Riley sought to cultivate with his team and the players.
“This boat is going to sail on top of the water as long as Pat Riley is there. Jimmy Butler is trying to sink that ship. That ship is not going to sink. I’m all with Pat Riley,” Hardaway Sr. added.
He believes that Butler’s issue with the organization began due to their hesitance to offer him another extension. The veteran wing has a $52 million player option for the 2025-26 season, but Riley was not willing to extend him beyond that given his age and the price tag he was demanding.
“These guys can’t take rejection, and that’s what it’s all about…’Oh I can’t play now because he’s not going to give me the money that I want.’ No. Go out there and play. You’re under contract, go ahead and play,” the 58-year-old explained.
“I know [Pat Riley] gave [the NBPA] a 10 page letter and I know he gave them some film to show them why he suspended him”
Hall of Famer, Tim Hardaway Sr, talks with @TermineRadio & @JumpShot8 about the issues between the Heat and Jimmy Butler. pic.twitter.com/BUzlmEzZx5
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) January 11, 2025
To be fair, Hardaway Sr. is likely a Riley lifer, given how his #10 jersey hangs from the rafters in Miami. However, that doesn’t take away from his point. Despite the stalemate in contract negotiations, Jimmy Butler should still be held accountable by the Heat organization. After all, he is being paid $48.7 million this season to play consistently and if nothing else, be a professional.
