NBA rumors: Some of Jimmy Butler's Heat 'transgressions' come to light amid suspension

01/13/2025 03:07 PM

As the Miami Heat face the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night, it will be the sixth contest served in Jimmy Butler’s seven-game suspension. With the drama between the Heat and Butler lingering, there have been more rumors surrounding the relationship that include interesting details.

Jimmy Butler reportedly skipped shootarounds, flew separate from Heat

After Miami suspended Butler, the team said in a statement that they would be exploring trade options, but other reports have suggested that they haven’t seen any that appeals to them. While Butler’s return seems more likely after the suspension, there have been “transgressions” that have potentially been revealed via sources from Jake Fischer who said the star would skip “morning shootarounds” and insisted “on private flights separate from Miami’s team charter.”

“Now it’s Pat Riley’s front office that has shown it will no longer tolerate Butler’s freestyling, announcing to the world on Jan. 3 that the six-time NBA All-Star has been suspended for ‘conduct detrimental to the team.'” Fischer wrote on The Stein Line. “Among Butler’s transgressions, according to league sources, have been multiple instances of Butler skipping out on morning shootarounds altogether and insisting on private flights separate from Miami’s team charter. Former Heat star Tim Hardaway Sr. told Sirius XM NBA Radio over the weekend that Riley sent a 10-page letter to the players’ association detailing Butler’s missteps.”

Butler cited losing his “joy” of playing basketball after the Heat lost to the Indiana Pacers on Jan. 2 and responded “probably not” when asked if he could regain it in Miami. It seemed to have all started when the team was non-committal in Butler seeking a contract extension last offseason.

Plus, when Pat Riley told the forward to “keep your mouth shut” as the star said the Heat would beat the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks in the last playoffs if he was healthy. Butler was reportedly “caught off guard” according to Barry Jackson, but these new details from Fischer could convince some fans to think otherwise about Butler, but that is up to their interpretation.

Tim Hardaway Sr. speaks on “10-page letter” Pat Riley sent to NBPA

Fischer would also mention how former Heat guard Tim Hardaway Sr. said that Riley gave the NBPA a “10-page letter” citing what led to Butler’s suspension. Hardaway would criticize Butler on Sirius XM NBA Radio about how he’s trying to “sink the ship” of Riley and the organization he helped build its credibility.

"It’s about accountability. If you can’t take rejection, because everything has been saying yes, yes, yes, yes, yes to you, now you upset that the world is coming to an end," Hardaway said. "Oh, I can’t play now, because he’s not gonna give me the money that I want. No, go out there and play, you are under contract. Go ahead and play. I know Pat, and that’s what it’s doing. That’s what’s happening. And I knew that. I said, Look, Pat got a 10-page letter to the Players Association, and he gonna have film showing why he suspended this man before that even happened. And guess what? He suspended him for seven games, and I know he gave them a 10-page letter, and I know he gave them some film to show him why he’s suspended."

"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

At any rate, it remains a mystery to know what the finality of the Heat and Butler’s relationship will be, but it seems more likely that he will remain on the roster come the end of his suspension unless a last-minute deal gets accepted. Miami has two more games on the road trip as Butler is eligible to come back on Jan. 17 against the Denver Nuggets.

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