Paul Pierce thinks Pat Riley is slowly killing Heat culture by running his stars out of town, from Shaquille O’Neal and Dwyane Wade to Jimmy Butler.
The Miami Heat is officially looking to move on from Jimmy Butler, but not without drama. The NBA universe is shining a spotlight on the situation in South Beach and has everyone dishing their two cents. This includes Paul Pierce, whose fingers are pointed exclusively at Pat Riley.
“Pat Riley brought Heat culture, and what I wanna say about that is that he’s slowly destroying Heat culture,” the Boston Celtics legend said on FS1’s Speak. “And what I mean by that is it’s a new generation now, guys. Jimmy Butler is not in a new generation, but coming up, when you look at Heat culture when Shaq, Lonzo, Haslem, and Wade all got there… Look what he’s done to his star players since Heat culture started.”
“He ran Shaq out of town. He ran LeBron out of town. You ran D-Wade out of town of all people, the one you drafted, the one you won your first championship with. Then, you tried and make up for it. Now you’re running Jimmy Butler out of town,” Pierce added.
The Truth wanted to see a change in The Godfather’s approach. As he pointed out, “my way or the highway” will not cut it anymore in the modern era.
What’s happening between Jimmy and the Heat?
Butler has been the face of Miami for the past five years. He led them to two Finals appearances, although the Heat fell short in both. Nonetheless, it’s a relatively successful stint as they reached the Eastern Conference Finals three times during that span.
That said, the relationship started to sour when the Heat brass, Riley included, refused to give him the two-year, $112.6 million maximum extension last summer. Trade talks swirled as the season continued, although Butler’s agent, Bernie Lee, denied Sham Charania’s trade rumor report that included his client’s preferred destinations.
A couple of days ago, Butler effectively ended any semblance of an amicable relationship when he declared he wouldn’t be happy playing for the organization moving forward. Riley put his foot down and suspended Jimmy for seven games, a development that could mean a loss of over $2 million in salaries for the six-time All-Star.
The Heat stated in an official statement: “We have suspended Jimmy Butler for seven games for multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team over the course of the season and particularly the last several weeks. Through his actions and statements, he has shown he no longer wants to be part of this team.”
Was The Truth speaking facts?
As Pierce said, Riley has a reputation for never taking care of his superstars, including Dwyane Wade. “Flash” quickly realized the business side of things when Miami placed him at the top of their priority list in 2016 free agency. Therefore, the 2006 NBA Finals MVP decided to look after himself and signed with the Chicago Bulls.
Although Wade clarified that he had “no hard feelings toward” Riley, he said the Heat president was stuck in his ways.
“It’s nothing but respect, and I have no hard feelings. I understand what Pat is, he’s a competitor. I’ve been knowing him for 13 years so I expect no different. People might not believe me, but I have no hard feelings toward Pat. Everything happened the way it was supposed to happen, everything happens for a reason, so I’m fine,” Wade said.
“Life is too short to be holding grudges. At the end of the day, Pat has helped me become a very rich man … Me and Pat have won championships together. We’ve both helped each other’s legacies. I love that guy. I know how he is. He’s stubborn just like I am,” the three-time NBA champ added.
The business side of things
It’s never a good look when a franchise fails to care for its players. Free agents often weigh these issues when making decisions, and neglecting them can have long-term consequences for a team. That said, is Riley in the wrong here, especially considering the ongoing Butler saga the Heat are currently dealing with?
Hardly. Butler is seeking a nearly $113 million extension over the $54 million he will earn next season. That’s a steep ask for a 35-year-old—unless your name happens to be LeBron James. Considering LBJ agreed to a $101.3 million deal in his most recent contract with the Lakers, why would a Tier 2 star expect even more?
Riley and the Heat have made a business decision and stuck with it, as they should. Right now, the team does not have the pieces to compete for a championship, so it might be in Butler’s best interest to go and play for a contender, as his clock is already ticking. Jimmy will always be Jimmy, as Pat will always be Pat. He’s a dinosaur who has been in the league since 1968! He will stand his ground, and guys like Pierce should expect nothing less.