Inside The Heat

Miami Heat Fans Rip Pat Riley Amid Latest Jimmy Butler Trade Rumors

Jake Elman

Jan 14, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat president Pat Riley (R) shows former player Dwayne Wade (L) a bobble head while announcing that a statue in the likeness of Wade will be erected outside the arena in 2025, during halftime of the game between the Miami Heat and the Charlotte Hornets at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images
Jan 14, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat president Pat Riley (R) shows former player Dwayne Wade (L) a bobble head while announcing that a statue in the likeness of Wade will be erected outside the arena in 2025, during halftime of the game between the Miami Heat and the Charlotte Hornets at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images / Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images
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One might think most Miami Heat fans are thrilled president Pat Riley said the team doesn’t plan on trading Jimmy Butler. 

A glance at X (formerly Twitter) instead shows a fanbase preparing for an inevitable divorce anyway. 

ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported Wednesday Butler prefers being traded ahead of the Feb. 6 deadline. Riley responded Thursday and attempted to end the Butler trade talk.

“We usually don’t comment on rumors, but all this speculation has become a distraction to the team and is not fair to the players and coaches,” Riley said. “Therefore, we will make it clear - We are not trading Jimmy Butler.”

Heat fans aren’t exactly popping the champagne just yet. 

“This literally 100 percent confirms that Jimmy Butler will be traded,” @Rohan1x posted on X. 

Added @zion_yrn: “[I]f you believe this won’t end in a jimmy butler trade, i aspire to be as gullible as you one day.”

Butler hits unrestricted free agency next summer. He is widely expected to decline his $52 million player option ahead of his age-36 season.

“Now I bet the house that Jimmy Butler will be traded,” one user wrote, adding the “100” emoji. 

X user @saransh_s1 criticized Riley for how he’s handled his All-Star forward’s future. 

“If Pat Riley called out Jimmy Butler in the offseason to prove he deserves the extension, which now upsets Jimmy, but he doesn’t want to trade Jimmy, then what is his plan?” they posted. “How are you going to prove to Jimmy that Miami is the best place to win a ring?”

Butler had not issued his own statement as of publication. However, X user @Eljefecito407 guessed how the six-time All-Star feels about Riley’s statement.

Charania linked Butler to the Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, and Phoenix Suns earlier this month. Butler grew up in Houston and has Texas ties.

X user @Adelfaisnotdead predicted the Warriors will acquire Butler in return for forward Jonathan Kuminga “and some scraps because Riley is totally washed.”

Then, there’s @161phen, who dug into Butler’s past for possibly the perfect reaction.

Even Riley and Butler might have to smile at that one.

MORE HEAT NEWS

Possible Miami Heat Trade Target Hints at Potential Move

Former All-Star Mocks Idea of Los Angeles Lakers Trading for Jimmy Butler

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.

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Jake Elman
JAKE ELMAN

Jake Elman is a veteran sports journalist and graduate of Florida Atlantic University’s journalism program. In recent years, he has covered the NFL for EndGame360 and served as the sports content lead for ExpressVPN. He also covered the Lane Kiffin years at FAU for the Palm Beach Post.