MIAMI — There is a photo that Heat president Pat Riley keeps in his office. It’s of Jimmy Butler, exhausted in Game 5 of the 2020 NBA Finals, catching his breath while slumped over a barrier that surrounded the court at Walt Disney World.
Moments like those are the ones Riley chooses to remember.
Addressing the situation for the first time since Butler was suspended three times this season by Miami and ultimately traded in February to the Golden State Warriors, Riley — at his annual end-of-season news conference — said that he wishes the former Heat forward well and that he suspects that, deep down, Butler wants good things for Miami as well.
“There’s no doubt that what happened with Jimmy had a tremendous impact on our team,” Riley said. “There’s no doubt about it. So the buck stops with me. I’ll take that hit if you want it.”
It was at the same Riley news conference a year ago where some might say things between the Heat and Butler truly began eroding. Butler was injured and could not play in Miami’s first-round loss to Boston. He then made an off-the-cuff remark at a Formula 1 race in South Florida a few days later that, if he had been able to play, the Heat could have beaten the Celtics or New York Knicks.
Riley didn’t like that comment and indicated as much at his end-of-year event. The relationship seemed strained from there. The Heat declined to offer Butler a two-year, $113 million extension; Butler kept getting suspended and said he lost his joy playing in Miami; and the team had no choice but to trade him away.
“I’m not going to apologize for saying no on a contract extension when we didn’t have to,” Riley said. “And I don’t think I should.”
If any hard feelings remain from the Miami side, Riley didn’t indicate as much Friday.
“It’s over,” Riley said. “I wish him well, good luck to him, and I hope deep down in his heart somewhere he wishes us well too.”
The Heat finished 10th in the Eastern Conference, made the playoffs through the play-in tournament as the No. 8 seed and were swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers, losing the last two games by 37 and 55 points.
Riley said he doesn’t expect the Heat to “run it back” with virtually the same roster next season, which means the team will pursue trades this summer. The Heat have retooled their roster, by Riley’s count, no fewer than 14 times in his 29 offseasons in Miami.
“I think we do have to make changes,” he said. “There’s no doubt there has to be some change.”
Riley, who turned 80 in March, is wrapping up 30 years with the Heat and said he has no plans to stop anytime soon.
“I just turned 80, and I’m proud of it and 80 is the new 60,” Riley said. “I mean, that’s how I look at it. I feel great. I am competitive as hell.”
He said he has met with managing general partner Micky Arison and team CEO Nick Arison, both of whom told him to go forward.
There is an urgency, though — not because of his age but because the Heat aren’t looking for a prolonged retooling back toward championship contention.
“It’s a process,” Riley said. “But I’m not going to deal with a long process, nor is ownership.”
