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At this point, it would be a minor miracle if Jimmy Butler ever played another NBA game for the Miami Heat. The six-time All-Star is in the midst of a seven-game, team-issued suspension that some believe could last even longer than initially expected. Miami’s front office, namely team president Pat Riley, is not happy with Butler and Butler is equally unhappy with that the organization.
Butler displayed as much with an Instagram video taking aim at Riley on Thursday during a trip to his BigFace Coffee Shop, which he opened in late 2024.
Jimmy to his barista:
“See, I gave you a compliment. That’s what bosses do, they build you up they don’t break you down.” *petty smirk to the camera* 😅 pic.twitter.com/pyQ0N0gNf3
— HEAT LIFER 305 (@lifer_305) January 10, 2025
“See, I gave you a compliment. That’s what bosses do, they build you up they don’t break you down,” Butler said with a wry smile after complimenting one of his employees.
“For him to say that, I thought, ‘is that Jimmy trolling? Or is that Jimmy serious?'” Riley said in postseason press conference last year after the Heat were eliminated from the playoffs. “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.”
The Boston Celtics knocked Miami out in the opening round of the playoffs, 4-1, in a series which Butler did not play due to injury. Afterward, he claimed it would have been different had he been on the court.
“Video this, 1, 2, 3 action,” Butler said. “If I was playing, Boston would be at home, New York would d— sure would f—ing be at home. Josh Hart? Come on man. I love [Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau]. Thibs, I love you baby, but I want to beat you to a pulp.”
Riley clearly wasn’t fond of those comments. He responded by saying exactly what he thought, and the relationship between the two has not been the same since.