The Jimmy Butler-Miami Heat saga officially came to an end on Wednesday, when the Heat traded Butler to the Golden State Warriors ahead of the NBA trade deadline. The deal ended a months-long feud between the two sides that saw the Heat suspend Butler on numerous occasions as he sought a trade.
Tension initially appeared to emerge between Butler and the Heat when president Pat Riley was critical of Butler saying: "If you're not on the court playing against Boston, or on the court playing against the New York Knicks, you should keep your mouth shut." After the Heat and Butler didn't agree on a contract extension during the summer, Butler's future with the team dimmed.
The reality of Butler leaving Miami picked up steam in December, when the Heat became open to trading him. After reports emerged later that month he wanted out, Riley insisted that they would not trade him. Shortly after, Butler expressed he no longer felt "joy" playing basketball with the Heat.
The Heat would go on to suspend Butler multiple times as he sought a trade, including for missing a flight and walking out of a practice. Finally, the Heat managed to grant Butler's wish and traded him to the Warriors this week.
Despite a tumultuous final months with the Heat, Butler took the high road and extended a classy message to his team of the previous five and a half seasons.
“I have so much respect for that organization, people that’s running that organization, my former teammates," Butler said during his introductory press conference with the Warriors. "I’ll always wish them the best. I have a lot of love for a lot of people over there. I just want them to know I’m very grateful for the relationships I’ve built and hope to keep for a lifetime.”
Jimmy Butler on his time with the Miami Heat
— Heat Culture (@HeatCulture13) February 7, 2025
“I have so much respect for that organization, people that’s running that organization, my former teammates. I’ll always wish them the best… I have alot of love for a lot of people over there. I just want them to know I’m very… pic.twitter.com/4r8Cuydz4t
Though Butler ended his tenure on a relatively sour note, he did have a tremendous five seasons in Miami. He led the Heat to two NBA Finals, became the NBA steals leader, and made two All-Star teams. His reputation as "Playoff Jimmy" heightened with the Heat, particularly during their run to the NBA Finals in 2023, when they lost to the Denver Nuggets.
Butler now begins his time with the Warriors, where he is under contract for the next two and a half seasons. Golden State will be the fifth team Butler has played on thus far.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Jimmy Butler Sends Classy Message to Heat After Rocky End to Tenure in Miami .
