Patrick James \"Pat\" Riley isn't called the Godfather for nothing and fat chance that Jimmy Butler will come out smelling like roses in his ongoing spat with the Miami Heat team president and minority owner.<\/p>\r\r
Buckets won't be making any baskets or lead the Heat to wins anytime soon as he's been suspended for seven games for conduct detrimental to the team. So, instead of just sending him home to play dominos or concoct his latest coffee brew somewhere else, Riles gave him the sternest possible disciplinary action (under which he's still required to practice with team coaches). This decision got the ire of the NBA Players Association, who said the penalty was \"excessive and inappropriate\" and the NBA players union intends to challenge it via a grievance.<\/p>\r\r
My take is Butler is in the wrong here. He's 35 years old, injury plagued, doesn't give all during the regular season, and seeking his last maximum NBA salary. Bottomline is the dude just wants to get paid!<\/p>\r\r
The former Marquette star, who also wore down his welcome with the Chicago Bulls, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Philadelphia 76ers due to contractual issues, would've been best served if he balled out in the last guaranteed year of the massive three-year $146.3 million contract he signed two years ago (the final year is a player option for some $52 million).<\/p>\r\r
Instead, he pouted and tried to play dominoes against the Godfather, who probably wanted to play chess, and lost. Don't get me wrong, by suspending Butler, who I think is the third best Heat player in history after Dwyane Wade and LeBron James, Riley has diminished his value somewhat and more than guaranteed that South Beach will be getting pennies on the dollar on a potential Butler trade.<\/p>\r\r
Then a report came out yesterday morning that the Heat will welcome its disgruntled star if no palatable trade happens. I know I'm probably shooting for the moon here, but my belated Christmas wish is Butler returns and eventually play beautiful music together with the team's future Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro and younglings Nicola Jokic, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Kal'el Ware. They somehow go on another magical run in the playoffs\u2014ala 2023 as an eighth\u2014and this time go all the way to the Promised Land. Riles and Butler then make up and he's signed for a two-year maximum deal and both ride into the sunset in 2027.<\/p>\r\r
But if a trade comes, I won't lose much sleep either as Butler is just not in the same timeline as \"No Ceiling\" Adebayo and Boy Wonder, although the last few games made the former look more like \"No Shot\" Adebayo.<\/p>\r\r
Of the five teams in his \"supposed\" wish list, only the Nets have the financial wherewithal to sign Butler if he indeed opts out of his contract at the end of the 2024-2025 NBA season. Although he shares an agent with 76ers' \"favorite\" Ben Simmons, why would Buckets play his twilight years on a noncontending team like Brooklyn (who are in the middle of fire sale after just trading Dennis Schroeder and Dorian Finney-Smith).<\/p>\r\r
Team who can't wait for the end of the season can just trade for him outright, but will the Suns trade Kevin Durant or Devin Booker to Miami for Butler? Would the Mavericks be willing to swap Kyrie Irving or Luka Doncic? Ditto with the Rockets moving on from Dillon Brooks, Jabari Smith Jr., Cam Whitmore, Aaron Holiday, and a boatload of picks for Butler (seems ideal though as Whitmore is a diamond in the rough and Smith is the 2023 NBA Draft No. 3 pick and has a lot of upside).<\/p>\r\r
The most intriguing trade scenario for the Heat outside of the Rockets' offer is that from the Warriors, which seems to be dangling promising Jonathan Kuminga, ancillary pieces, and draft picks for Butler. Kuminga is currently averaging 16.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists (compared to Butler's 18.5 points 5.8 boards, and 4.9 domes a contest)<\/p>\r\r
Why is Warriors head coach Steve Kerr dead-set in ditching a young talent in favor of a soon-to-be 36-year-old star obviously in the twilight of his NBA career? Perhaps, Butler is more on the timeline of Golden State's core led by future hall of famers Stephen Curry and Draymond Green and if there's a franchise willing to parlay the promise of youth for another championship run, that's Golden State.<\/p>\r\r
Lately, the Sacramento Kings, Memphis Grizzlies, and the Milwaukee Bucks have emerged as leading trade destinations for Butler. The Kings are in flux following the firing of former head coach Mike Brown and appear heading toward a bitter split with all-star point guard De'Aaron Fox (They've won four straight, however).<\/p>\r\r
The Grizz seem to be peddling a trade centered around former Celtic Marcus Smart, while the Bucks maybe open to parting with Khris Middleton and Bobby Portis, whose aggregate salaries coincidentally match Butler's ($31 million for Middleton and $12.5 million for Portis).<\/p>\r\r
So, as we welcome 2025, here's to me wishing No. 22's trade-or-stay dilemma in Miami finding a final resolution. Whatever happens, I will remain a true blue (rather red) Miami Heat fan.<\/p>","article_custom_fields":"{\"\":[\"\"],\"seo_meta_keywords\":[\"\"],\"seo_meta_description\":[\"\"],\"seo_meta_title\":[\"\"],\"sponsored_flag\":[\"\"],\"offer_flag\":[\"\"],\"featured_article_flag\":[\"\"],\"drupal_json\":[\"{\\\"type\\\":null,\\\"properties\\\":{\\\"PUBLISHED\\\":0,\\\"PROMOTED\\\":0,\\\"STICKY\\\":0},\\\"fields\\\":[]}\"],\"wp_custom_json\":[\"{\\\"type\\\":\\\"\\\",\\\"fields\\\":[]}\"],\"article_tags\":[\"\"],\"show_image\":[\"\"],\"Disable_Ad\":[\"\"],\"disable_player\":[\"\"],\"column\":[\"\"],\"kicker\":[\"\"],\"edel\":[\"\"],\"delu\":[\"\"],\"delt\":[\"\"],\"premium\":[\"off\"],\"Redirect_URL\":[\"\"],\"Registration_required\":[\"\"],\"background_image\":[\"\"],\"user_needs\":[\"\"],\"page_number\":\"0\",\"initial_publication\":\"\",\"date_created\":\"2025-01-07 16:28:01\",\"date_modified\":\"2025-01-07 16:28:48\",\"last_modified_user\":\"Emil Noguera\",\"section_color\":\"#08F304\",\"target_page\":\"0\",\"cxense_metatags\":null}","cms_type":"live","author_id":1303,"section_id":3,"seo_meta_keywords":"Butler,or,Riley?,Who's,in,the,wrong?","seo_meta_description":"","seo_meta_title":"Butler or Riley? Who's in the wrong?","publish_time":"2025-01-08 06:28:00","related_articles_ids":"","article_tags":"","sub_section_id":0,"visit_count":60,"sponsored_flag":0,"offer_flag":0,"featured_article_flag":0,"media_gallery_flag":0,"video_gallery_flag":0,"highlight_flag":0,"top_story_flag":0,"is_updated":0,"is_old_article":0,"old_article_id":0,"article_byline":"Mark Rabago","ts":"2025-01-09 04:45:26","last_edited":"2025-01-07 16:28:48","alt_publish_time":"2025-01-07 16:28:53","image_path":null,"author_name":"Mark Rabago","section_name":"Sports","sub_section_name":"","slide_show":0,"breaking_news":0,"visit_count_update_date":"2025-01-09 04:45:26","old_cms_article_id":null,"permalink":"2025\/01\/08\/sports\/butler-or-riley-whos-in-the-wrong\/2032141","show_image_in_thumb":0,"api_status":2,"a_custom_data":"{\"exclude_from_gallery\":null,\"lead_image_id\":null}","publication_id":2,"max_publish_time":"2025-01-08 06:28:00","page_number":"0","homepage_article_flag":0,"article_shortlink":null,"cropped_image":0};
Patrick James "Pat" Riley isn't called the Godfather for nothing and fat chance that Jimmy Butler will come out smelling like roses in his ongoing spat with the Miami Heat team president and minority owner.
Buckets won't be making any baskets or lead the Heat to wins anytime soon as he's been suspended for seven games for conduct detrimental to the team. So, instead of just sending him home to play dominos or concoct his latest coffee brew somewhere else, Riles gave him the sternest possible disciplinary action (under which he's still required to practice with team coaches). This decision got the ire of the NBA Players Association, who said the penalty was "excessive and inappropriate" and the NBA players union intends to challenge it via a grievance.
