Jimmy Butler seemingly sent a message to the Miami Heat on Friday as the standoff between him and the team continues.
Butler made a visit to his Bigface coffee shop in Miami on Friday and shared video of it to his Instagram. In the video, he seemed to take a shot at how the Heat have treated him.
“See that? I gave you a compliment. That’s what bosses do. They build you up, they don’t break you down,” Butler told an employee while giving a thumbs-up to the camera.
“See, I gave you a compliment. That’s what bosses do, they build you up they don’t break you down.”
Jimmy Butler to a Big Face employee on his IG story 🗣️
(via jimmybutler / IG) pic.twitter.com/wx81jljejn
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 10, 2025
Perhaps Butler meant nothing by his comment, but few will see it that way. Heat president Pat Riley publicly admonished Butler at the end of last season, and there were rumors at the start of the season that the relationship between Butler and Riley was not good.
Butler’s issues with the Heat finally erupted last week, as he went public with a trade demand. That prompted Riley to hand down some hefty punishment for Butler’s supposed insubordination.
Normally, this sort of thing would go ignored. Right now, however, Butler’s comment certainly looks like a shot at Riley and the organization.
