In a recent appearance on the All the Smoke podcast, Tim Hardaway discussed comments made by Pat Riley a few months ago—'The Godfather' criticized the then-injured Jimmy Butler, stating that someone who can't be on the court shouldn't be trash-talking.
This statement came as no surprise to Tim Bug. In fact, it sounds like the retired five-time All-Star shares the same view as his former Miami Heat boss.
"I was waiting on that. I knew something was gon' happen. I told some people, I said, 'Pat's gon' talk this year. Pat's gon' talk this year. Especially [since] he's tired of a lot of things that are going on with the team. He's tired of Jimmy Butler,'" Hardaway said .
Former Heat legend backs Riley
Hardaway's connection to the Heat runs deep. The Chicago native joined the team in 1996, not long after Riles became head coach. Their collaboration, which included a trip to the 1997 Eastern Conference Finals, lasted until the former point guard's departure in 2001.
The Florida franchise later retired Tim's jersey, suggesting he likely still has some knowledge about the team's internals. Furthermore, the 58-year-old still considers himself, as he put it, part of the "Miami Heat people," noting that all those who share the same affiliation "understood where Pat Riley was coming from."
The current team from South Beach faced a rocky end to last season. They were eliminated in a gentleman's sweep by the Boston Celtics, the now-reigning champs. This lack of success is closely tied to the constant unavailability of their two key players, Butler and Tyler Herro. The duo started in only 90 out of 164 possible regular season games.
Related: Giannis always split the bill at McDonald's with his best friend: "He didn't understand how much he had, or he couldn't part with the cash"
Is 'Jimmy Buckets' on thin ice?
Hardaway suggested that Riley is "probably talking about both of them." However, he clarified that the now-team president is likely "more so" addressing "the star directly," referring to Butler. Tim then outlined what 'The Godfather' might want to say to his star forward.
"Yo dude, you haven't played in a lot of games this year and last year. And especially in the playoffs. I need you to play in the playoffs. If you played more than 70 games, we wouldn't have been in the play-in games two years in a row, alright? I need you to play. You need to take care of your body; you need to be in this gym taking care of your body," said Hardaway.
The upcoming 2024-25 NBA season is make-or-break not just for the Heat but also for 'Jimmy Buckets'. As Tim pointed out, the front office decided not to extend the 6'7" forward's contract this summer, more than likely due to the highlighted concerns.
It remains to be seen whether Butler and Herro will be present when Miami kicks off their season against the Orlando Magic on October 23.
Related: Shaq on the difference between Pat Riley and Phil Jackson: “In the long run, if you have a little more humor, you can get more done”
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