Former NBA Champion Explains How Teammates View Jimmy Butler Situation

Although longtime NBA forward Richard Jefferson played for nine teams, he never suited up alongside Jimmy Butler.

Jefferson did play alongside various superstars, from Jason Kidd and Vince Carter to LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. He knows what it’s like to watch the face of a franchise behave a certain way compared to regular starters and role players.

Suppose Jefferson, a 17-year vet and 2016 champion, currently played with Butler on the Heat. Miami suspended Butler for the second time this month after he missed a team flight Wednesday.

The Heat previously suspended Butler seven games after he requested a trade.

Would Jefferson even want Butler back if the two were teammates?

“At this point, we know that this is above our feelings,” Jefferson said Wednesday on NBA Countdown. “This is between Jimmy and the organization and [Heat president] Pat Riley.”

Butler requested a trade Jan. 2, only eight days after Riley announced the team wouldn’t trade the six-time All-Star. Riley previously publicly criticized Butler’s durability last spring.

“I guarantee there’s a lot of people in that organization that still fear Pat Riley,” Jefferson said, “and so when they’re looking at the situation, they’re like, ‘Hey, that’s between them.’”

Jefferson feels Butler’s teammates will support the veteran forward, partly because Butler led the Heat to two NBA Finals appearances in his first five seasons.

“They didn’t forget that,” Jefferson argued. “At the same point in time, they recognize this isn’t about his feelings towards us. It’s about his contract and where he wants to be; that’s a separate entity.”

Barring a trade or further punishment, Butler can return next Monday against the Magic.

ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported Tuesday the Heat are having “productive conversations” and moving closer to dealing Butler.

The Heat released a statement following the latest suspension.

"We have suspended Jimmy Butler for two games for continued pattern of disregard of team rules, insubordinate conduct and conduct detrimental to the team, including missing today’s team flight to Milwaukee."

Butler is expected to lose roughly $3.1 million in salary following his second suspension this month. That includes the money he’ll lose from his earlier seven-game suspension.

However, just because Butler will lose the money now doesn’t mean he can’t regain it later. The NBPA is expected to file a grievance for the Jan. 3 suspension, and one would think they’d also attempt to recoup any money lost this time.

HOLBROOK UPDATES BUTLER MURAL

Miami-based artist Kyle Holbrook made waves with a viral Butler mural in Wynwood following the latter’s suspension earlier this month.

Less than a month later, Holbrook and Butler are back for more.

Holbrook unveiled updates to the Butler mural Wednesday, with an emphasis on the All-Star forward’s headband and coffee cup.

“Jimmy Butler has always been a dynamic and complex figure, both on and off the court,” Holbrook said. “This mural evolves with him, capturing the essence of his journey and the dialogue he sparks.”

The headband initially read “I Quit.” Holbrook replaced that text with the phrase “No Comment,” which he says symbolizes “the star’s enigmatic and often unpredictable relationship with the media and his team.”

Meanwhile, the coffee cup now features a combination logo of Big Face Coffee and Mr. Yuck. Previously, the cup read “Please Pay Me.”

Miami artist Kyle Holbrook updated his Jimmy Butler mural. | Kyle Holbrook

“This fusion playfully acknowledges Butler’s entrepreneurial coffee brand while adding an edgy twist that aligns with recent controversies,” Holbrook said.

LOVE POKES FUN AT BUTLER

Miami Heat veteran Kevin Love wants to find humor in teammate Butler’s latest suspension.

While Heat fans shared their anger and outrage on social media, Love—who repeatedly cracked jokes during Butler’s seven-game suspension earlier this month—again opted for comedy.

Love shared a Scarface clip on Instagram featuring Tony Montana (Al Pacino) angrily cursing in a restaurant. The five-time All-Star captioned the post, “Jimmy dining out in Miami this evening…”

“You all a bunch of f***in’ a**holes,” Montana says in the clip. “You know why? You don’t have the guts to be what you wanna be. You need people like me.

“You need people like me so you can point your f***in’ fingers and say, ‘That’s the bad guy,’” Montana continues.

Love has poked fun at Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro recently.

Butler said last week he approved of Love’s humor, even if it came at his expense.

“I like Kev, but [he’s] not more petty than I am,” Butler told reporters, “and he’s giving me a run for my money.”

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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.