Miami Heat Fans Crush Pat Riley After Jimmy Butler Trade Request

Jake Elman | Jan 3, 2025

Jan 19, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat president Pat Riley sits on the court for the jersey retirement ceremony for former player Udonis Haslem during halftime of the game between the Miami Heat and the Atlanta Hawks Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images / Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

If Miami Heat president Pat Riley has any social media accounts, he may want to spend the next few days off the internet.

Social media users crushed Riley after Heat forward Jimmy Butler requested a trade Thursday night. Riley issued a statement last week saying the Heat wouldn’t trade Butler, who hits unrestricted free agency in July and is expected to decline his unrestricted free agency.

Miami has won three championships since Riley joined the organization in 1995. The sports world, however, is one of “What have you done for me lately?”

Heat fans took that theory to heart Friday, ripping Riley on X (formerly Twitter) for his handling of the Butler situation. 

“Pat Riley won,” X user @ChefTrillie wrote. “He officially got the fanbase to think Jimmy is the bad guy. Hopefully we can hang a banner for that. Next to the banners where he showed Bron Wade and Shaq who’s boss.

“Winning feuds > winning championships,” they added.

Pat Riley won. He officially got the fanbase to think Jimmy is the bad guy. Hopefully we can hang a banner for that. Next to the banners where he showed Bron Wade and Shaq who’s boss

Winning feuds > winning championships

— Austin (@ChefTrillie) January 3, 2025

@ChefTrillie’s comments about the fanbase antagonizing Butler are correct. Reddit and X users criticized Butler for his professionalism and effort following the trade request. 

Other X users kept their anger directed at Riley. 

“Pat Riley is a bad GM who happens to run a team in a place LeBron wanted to play,” @CentristMadness wrote.

Added @ZeBallKnower: “The last 4 years this team has been [run] HORRIBLY. What have they done well? They haven’t capitalized on players registering interest in the team and Pat Riley has now ran ANOTHER star out of town.”

The last 4 years this team has been ran HORRIBLY. What have they done well? They haven’t capitalized on players registering interest in the team and Pat Riley has now ran ANOTHER star out of town.

— 😳 (@ZeBallKnower) January 3, 2025

Another X user, @TBH_Elvn11, said Riley would make them quit being a Heat fan.

“Fool me once (Lebron) shame on me,” they posted. “Fool me twice (Wade) I’m the idiot. Fool me 3 times (Currently with Jimmy) wtf am I doing?”

X user @thereaIm1 kept it simple:

“PAT RILEY RUINED MY LIFE,” they wrote.

PAT RILEY RUINED MY LIFE pic.twitter.com/LjGHcrS4ha

— m (@thereaIm1) January 3, 2025

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Possible Trade Destinations Revealed After Jimmy Butler's Trade Request

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Jake Elman works as a contributing writer to Miami Heat on SI. He can be reached at jakeelman97@gmail.com or follow him on X @JakeElman97.