We all saw what happened between the Miami Heat and Jimmy Butler. The ugly fallout led to a dramatic split. While initially it seemed like the only side that was wrong was the Heat, a recent reaction from a former Miami star suggests otherwise.
Recently, Tim Hardaway, the Hall of Famer and former Miami Heat All-Star, has not held back in his criticism of Jimmy Butler. His reaction came following the star forward’s high-profile departure from the franchise. During his appearance at Gil’s Arena, Hardaway pointedly accused Butler of abuse of load management during his time with the Heat. Hardway claimed that his decision to take games off directly contributed to the team’s struggles to secure a solid playoff berth.
“I don’t want to be in the play-in games anymore. I want to be in the playoffs, have a week off, prepare, and be ready for our opponent. We’ll be fresh. Jimmy didn’t want to do that. Jimmy wanted to keep doing what he always did, taking games off. He wasn’t hurt. He was just taking games off,” Hardaway said.
Tim Hardaway says Jimmy Butler was never really injured in Miami and used to take games off, which led to Miami being stuck in the play-in
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 20, 2025
“I don’t want to be in the play-in games anymore. I want to be in the playoffs, have a week off, prepare, and be ready for our opponent.… pic.twitter.com/2hYv1k6liT
The former Heat great went on to clarify that he believed Butler’s decisions were not rooted in injury but rather in a mindset of prioritizing rest over team needs. This perception of Butler as someone who would rather sit out than push through has left fans disheartened and tainted his legacy with the franchise. However, after Butler’s trade to the Warriors, Hardaway voiced his disappointment with the way Butler handled his exit from Miami. He even labeled him a “crybaby” during a segment on SiriusXM NBA Radio.
NBA Announces Jimmy Butler’s Return Game Against Heat
The NBA has officially announced that the highly anticipated matchup between the Golden State Warriors and the Miami Heat will be aired on TNT. The game will mark Jimmy Butler’s return to face his former team. Scheduled for March 25, this game would be a moment of redemption for the disgruntled star who recently made his way to Golden State in a trade.
The replacement for TNT is the Golden State Warriors versus Miami Heat game matchup, which would be Jimmy Butler’s return game. https://t.co/WFgP8pJxOs
— Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth) February 20, 2025
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Fans are eager to see how Butler’s performance will unfold against the organization that traded him. Since joining the Warriors, Butler has made an immediate impact. He helped the team achieve a 3-1 record in his first four games, averaging 21.3 points per contest.
This partnership with Stephen Curry is being closely watched, especially given the urgency surrounding Curry’s career as he aims for another championship run.
The former Heat superstar will be there for the Warriors to help them navigate a tightly contested playoff race. They’ll make sure to keep the team’s hopes of avoiding the Play-In Tournament and securing a solid playoff seed alive.
Also Read:Jeff Teague Predicts Jimmy Butler-Miami Heat Drama Could Reshape NBA Contracts Forever
