NBA Trade Rumors: It could hardly have gone more wrong than Pat Riley's heartfelt last-ditch appeal to keep Jimmy Butler in Miami.
Jimmy Butler was looking to leave Miami. As it happened, Pat Riley's last attempts to retain him there backfired.
Following weeks of conflict between Pat Riley and the front staff, Jimmy Butler is now formally a part of the Golden State Warriors. Now, the six-time All-Star will team up with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green in their last run for a championship.
The Heat must reassemble after losing one of their key players while Butler keeps searching for better opportunities in the Bay Area.
According to sources from the Athletic, Riley became very emotional during their final meeting and even started crying in an effort to persuade Butler to stay in South Beach in a last-ditch effort to keep him.
In order to retain Butler in Miami, Pat Riley sobbed.
According to league insiders who were aware of the meeting, Butler saw through the tears, believed Riley to be "unhinged," and was further persuaded to depart. After signing an agreement that will keep him with the team through the 2026–2027 season, he will now suit up for the Warriors.
The relationship between Butler and Riley ends bitterly. During his tenure with the Heat, Butler raised their ceiling and turned them into a title contender. But in the end, they failed to achieve their objective, even though they made it to the NBA Finals twice.
Pat Riley reportedly cried during his meeting with Jimmy Butler in an attempt to get him to stay, but Butler reportedly viewed him as “unhinged” and became even more convinced to leave the Heat, per @TheAthletic
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 7, 2025
“According to multiple league sources with knowledge of the… pic.twitter.com/3tD3gK7Hck
This previous off-season, Butler's relationship with Riley soured when Riley made remarks about Butler's trash-talking and playing volume. Butler's final exit was facilitated by the organization's unwillingness to provide him a contract extension.
By receiving Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson, and first-round choices in the historic trade, the Heat were able to obtain a respectable return for Butler. They were able to compete with some of the top Eastern teams thanks to the transfer.
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