Following Pat Riley‘s end-of-season comments about Heat star Jimmy Butler on Monday, agent Bernie Lee confirmed that the two sides spoke last year about his client playing in every game he possibly could, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (subscription required). According to Lee, any insinuation that Butler didn’t hold up his end of the bargain is misguided.
“Jimmy missed 22 games this past year, a mix of personal reasons and injury,” Lee told Winderman. “If there was a game that was on the schedule that Jimmy was healthy enough to participate in, he did that. He played in a number of back-to-backs and it was the utmost priority to him to do everything he can to be available.”
Riley spoke on Monday about making player availability a top priority going forward and seemed to be challenging his players to fight through minor ailments.
“I’m not going to ever accuse a player who can’t play that he doesn’t want to play or he’s not able to play,” Riley said, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. “But there’s no such thing as 100 percent in the NBA, there just isn’t.”
When asked about a possible contract extension for Butler, who will become eligible for a new deal on July 7, he told reporters it would be a “big decision” for the team to make that sort of financial commitment “unless you’re somebody who’s really going to be there, available every single night.”
Speaking to Winderman, Lee pointed out that Butler’s minutes per game average this season (34.0) was his highest since he joined the Heat and that he was one of just a dozen players aged 33 or older who played 2,000+ minutes in 2023/24.
While the star swingman was unable to play in the first round of the postseason vs. Boston due to an MCL sprain, he has logged nearly 2,500 playoff minutes (essentially a full season’s worth) since arriving in Miami. That workload should be factored into the availability discussion, Lee said, adding that he’d like “a little bit more clarity” on Riley’s comments.
“The thought that Jimmy is picking and choosing when to play isn’t reality,” Lee said. “I enjoy watching him play as much, if not more, than anyone. So believe me, I want to see him play every night. But unfortunately he isn’t a robot and injuries and circumstances happen. Prior to the year, we had a meeting to discuss the changing NBA rules and the need to reject load management, And we all understood the assignment. Jimmy’s 22 games missed were all for valid issues and concerns.”
Butler remains committed to the Heat, according to Lee, who didn’t given any indication that anything said during Monday’s presser – which included Riley advising his star to “keep (his) mouth shut” regarding criticism of the Celtics and Knicks – will negatively impact how his client feels about his future in Miami.
“Once he got to this organization, he got to an organization that wholeheartedly has embraced him in every single way,” Lee said. “Look, they’re both cut from the same cloth. There’s going to be honest conversations that have to be had this summer about how to move forward, but those conversations aren’t going to be driven by anything other than, ‘How do we do this to move forward to take the next step, and win a championship?'”
Jimmy Butler…chasing Kevin Durant’s “legacy” lol
What can 76ers make an trade offer for Butler?
They can’t, unless Miami goes nuclear and trades him into cap space for crappy or low picks. They only have Embiid under a guaranteed contract for nest season and I doubt they’d send him back.
Butler is a aging overpriced was been. Trade value is get what you can now.
Pretty sure Maxey is under contract too.
He missed 20+ games pretty much every year
“The thought that Jimmy is picking and choosing when to play isn’t reality,”
I don’t think anyone thinks that. It’s just he did miss gms. If you are not playing. You shouldn’t be talking smack. Jimmy knows better. Rilye knows that.
Riley should have left it at availability being an important factor in justifying a max deal. When you say something like “I’m not going to ever accuse a player …. but ….” he is at least giving oxygen to the notion that JB was potentially available for more games. JB can handle it. He’s been called worse.
Should the 76ers give George 4 years max?
Then trade him when he is 38
Okay we’re done celebrating guys for playing in back to backs. Thats part of the schedule. You don’t get brownie points for doing what you’re paid to do.
It’s annoying. To get paid what they get paid to play a game of basketball is a privilege. Any player who complains needs a trip back to their humble beginnings and realize not everyone was as fortunate to have their athletic capabilities and skills. I get it as they encroach their golden years that the body breaks down, but they’re enabled by fans willing to pay and should do their best to accommodate that privilege.
To most countries in this world, you might be privileged.
I hope you accommodate that privilege with your job.
If he would have kept his flamboyant mouth closed none of this would have been said
Any other person, Bernie Lee would have blasted them by now.
But it’s Riley who said it, he has ultimate credibility and he gets to decide if Jimmy stays or not.
Can you imagine if Warriors management talked to Klay this way??…he’d be so sad during his next press conference. The guy made $40+million last season and couldn’t deal with any negative feedback, and God forbid if Kerr said he may need to come off the bench. Riley’s words sound shocking to me as someone that follows the Golden State Warriors soap opera. Give me 25 year olds that live, sleep and dream ball – no podcasts, no drama, no shoe companies – just watch these playoffs and you will see what it takes to win these days. 30+ year olds have so many side hustles and chase so much clout, they don’t care that it takes away from their game, or maybe just don’t realize it. Steph is an exception to that rule, no doubt, but can’t say that about anyone else on dubs. Listening to Riley, no way no how he runs the same thing back with Steph, Klay and Draymond.
It’s absurd to question the heart of Jimmy Buckets! Miami would have been in the lottery every year with him. 64 games or not, that guy is one of the top 5 most dedicated players in this NBA.
Pat’s just pushing an old school obsolete unwritten rule book. Any team in the NBA would gladly take him off your hands PAT! Let him walk! See how good your team is without him.