MIAMI – With Miami Heat president Pat Riley looking to bring change to the team to contend for next season, there's no doubt that this past year has been shadowed by the situation with Jimmy Butler. As there have been many reports dealing with the drama between the former Heat star and Riley, the basketball icon spoke publicly for the first time about the whole ordeal Friday.

During his end-of-season press conference, Riley would be asked about his comments last year around the same time, where he was non-committal about a contract extension. He also told Butler to “keep your mouth shut” in response to the star saying when he was injured during the 2024 NBA Playoffs that if he were healthy, Miami would have beaten the Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks.

Riley would say Friday afternoon that he is “not going to apologize” for his feelings on giving Butler a contract extension, “when we didn't have to.”

“I'm not going to apologize for saying no on the contract extension when we didn't have to, and I don't think I should, and I will always say that to the players if I was coaching, keep your mouth shut, I'll see you next training camp, and you get back on the court. But it's different today with players. So, anyhow, that's what I want to talk about with Jimmy. I've been through those kinds of situations before, even with this team, a couple times. And so it's over. It's done. I wish him well, good luck to him, and I hope deep down in his heart somewhere. He wishes us well too.”

Heat's Pat Riley on Jimmy Butler drama having a “tremendous impact”

Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III (10) drives to the basket past Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) during the first quarter at Kaseya Center.
Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

There's no denying that the Heat's season was clouded with the Butler drama, something that head coach Erik Spoelstra and stars Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo admitted would affect the team. Riley would echo the same sentiments, saying that it had a “tremendous impact” as he took accountability for it and even ran down some of his favorite moments with Butoer on the team.

“I don't think what I said last year really was relevant,” Riley said. “I simply said, softly, no, and I'm a person that in all the teams that I did coach, when you lose, you take your loss and you go home and you're quiet, you know. But there wasn't trolling back in that day. So there's no doubt that what happened with Jimmy had a tremendous impact on our team. There's no doubt about it. So the buck stops with me. I'll take that hit if you want it.”

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“What happened during the regular season? I don't want to really discuss,” Riley continued. “I remember this about Jimmy, I remember the bubble when he was hanging over the scorers' table, exhausted and trying to win a title, I remember that, I have that in my office, that picture. He played his ass off, his heart out for us. And last year and a half, it wasn't the same.”

Butler spent five seasons with Miami, where he led them to the NBA Finals twice and was even one three-point shot away in 2021 from going to a third, losing to the Celtics in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals. He's put up some productive numbers, especially being known as a playoff riser, which was put on display in the 2023 playoffs.

Heat's Pat Riley shares love for Jimmy Butler 

While the Heat and Butler ended the relationship in ugly fashion, it still seems that time will heal all wounds, with Riley never faltering in his appreciation. He would even say on Friday that he loves Butler while acknowledging that sometimes, negotiations go south.

“I don't want this to go out there that what happened with Jimmy, as ugly as it was, that I didn’t appreciate him. That I didn’t love this guy. Those things happen. It wasn’t fun,” Riley said.

At any rate, both Miami and Butler are on to different eras, with the star now with the Golden State Warriors. Now, the team looks to improve post-Butler, led by Herro and Adebayo.