Why Draymond was not surprised by Butler’s fallout with Heat originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Draymond Green isn’t surprised one bit that Jimmy Butler’s relationship with the Miami Heat soured.
After weeks of rumors surrounding Butler’s future in Miami, and team president Pat Riley publicly declaring the team would not trade the veteran forward, the Heat suspended Butler for seven games on Jan. 3 for “conduct detrimental to the team” and now will listen to trade offers for the six-time NBA All-Star.
The situation, unfolding how it did, does not surprise Green, who shared on the latest episode of “The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis” why he anticipated a divorce between Butler and the Heat.
“I think they definitely are at the end of the rope,” Green told Davis. “I’ve actually been hearing for the last couple years that they were kind of tired of Jimmy, Jimmy was kind of tired of them. I think Jimmy was kind of a little more so just enjoying living in Miami. I’m not one of those media people that make up stories. I’m not saying ‘enjoying living in Miami’ like Jimmy’s a partier, Jimmy don’t go out. So I’m not saying that, but living in Miami is a beautiful thing. And so I think he just more enjoy so his life and what comes with him being the face of the Miami Heat.
“Again, Jimmy’s a very serious guy, takes his craft very serious, works his ass off. So I don’t want this to come off the wrong way. I just think he had a good thing there where he’s going to the NBA Finals, he’s the man in Miami, and I think all of those things made what he was going through bearable. That’s what I’m trying to get at. And I think it’s just reached a point now where you’re like ‘what do I have left, three more years, maybe? I’m going to live in Miami for the rest of my life after three years anyway. And so I think you start to get to that point, where I think Jimmy also — Jimmy’s as competitive as they come — wants to win a championship.”
While it appears increasingly likely that Butler will not suit up for the Heat again this season, Green sees the situation playing out in one of two ways.
“What I believe the outcome is going to be, everybody’s like ‘Jimmy’s going here, Jimmy’s going there’ … I think Pat Riley is Pat Riley, y’all have heard the stories of who Pat Riley is and how Pat Riley is, just like I have,” Green shared. “I can see two things happening: I can see Pat Riley sending Jimmy Butler to a team, an organization that he absolutely hates, that’s garbage. I can also see Pat Riley saying, ‘hey, go home for the rest of the year. Just go home, we’ll pay you. It’s fine, go home. We’re not trading you anywhere.” And I can see that scenario as well.
“But the scenario I don’t see, I don’t see it just Jimmy back in good graces with them and Jimmy being who Jimmy is. I don’t see that, I think it’s too far past gone. When stuff starts getting to the media, when stuff starts getting public, it’s no longer in your control anyway. It’s completely taken over by public opinion, and it’s just hard to make it work. I think they’ve reached the end of the road.”
The Warriors have been connected to Butler for months, even dating back to before the 2024-25 NBA season started. Golden State even was one of three teams Butler reportedly preferred to be traded to in December, before it was reported the Warriors no longer were viewed as a viable destination.
While it’s still unlikely that the 35-year-old will end up in the Bay Area, you truly can’t count out anything in today’s NBA.