The Golden State Warriors are scheduled to play against the Miami Heat on Tuesday and it will be the first time Jimmy Butler will play against his former team. At the trade deadline, Butler was involved in a five-team deal that sent him to the Warriors. This happened after the star forward demanded a trade from the Miami organization after almost six seasons.
Butler’s relationship with the Heat came to an end after a series of bad suspensions. After the star sought a trade for the first time, the organization punished him for seven games. The club stated that it was the result of “multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team throughout the season.”
Following that, he returned to action and played three games. But he missed a team flight to Milwaukee and was suspended for two games. Before he could return to the lineup, he received an indefinite suspension after he walked out of a team practice. Butler’s actions were a reaction to learning that the team favored Haywood Highsmith as the starter over him.
Butler will return to the Kaseya Center on Tuesday for the first time since being traded. Many believe he is upset at Heat president Pat Riley. However, he stated that he had no concerns about his first game versus Miami.
“I don’t got no thoughts,” Butler said. “I won’t say nothing. I got nothing to say to nobody. No hard feelings. I’m in a better place now for me. Continued success to those guys over there.
According to Butler, he’s appreciative of the success he had with the Heat and is focused on playing for the Warriors.
“It’s very simple. I don’t have all the emotions everyone thinks I’m going to have. It is what it is. I realize that I had some great years here. I built some incredible bonds with some individuals within the organization, in this city – hell, in the state of Florida. But I’m going there to hoop. I’m going there to play basketball.”
The Heat is expected to have a video tribute for the Golden State Warriors star
According to Anthony Chiang, the Heat are planning on doing a video tribute to Butler. Although they had a terrible breakup, the organization is still grateful for the time the Golden State Warriors star spent with them.
Heat to honor Jimmy Butler with tribute video Tuesday, but Butler says "it makes no difference" https://t.co/vJnzkoVn0D Butler discussed his Heat exit today after Warriors practice in Miami Shores. Butler: "There’s no way that I was the cause of all of this."
— Anthony Chiang (@Anthony_Chiang) March 25, 2025
During an interview with the media, Butler spoke about what he’d do if ever the Heat decide to give him a video tribute.
“Will I watch?” Butler said. “Yeah, I’ll watch. If they have one, if they don’t. It makes no difference. It really doesn’t.”
Credit: Getty Images
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Reign also writes NBA and WNBA news updates on Sportskeeda. He started as a feature writer for AirAlamo, an NBA website that covers the San Antonio Spurs. Some of his work can also be seen on Valley of the Suns, a Phoenix Suns-centric website, where he served as a contributing writer.
