Asked how his team has dealt with the drama the past six weeks, which included three Butler suspensions, Spoelstra said: “I’ve had it with different teams. I felt it was less with this team, and that’s not taking away from anything that the group had to go through emotionally the past several weeks. “I really commend the group for staying the course and focusing on the present moment. You do want to have empathy for guys when it gets close to the trade deadline. This isn’t just fantasy sports. These are human beings. Having to move and change franchises midseason, that can’t be easy. That’s the business we chose, the part people don’t think about on the outside. It’s an amazing profession, not always the best business.”
Source: Miami Herald
Source: Miami Herald
More on this storyline
Everyone agrees that each meeting contained emotional, heated discussions. The Athletic earlier Friday morning reported that Butler described Riley as “unhinged” during their meeting. However, Heat sources told ESPN that the same word — “unhinged” — is how they described Butler’s behavior in his meeting with the Arisons. -via ESPN / February 7, 2025
When Butler first came to the Heat in summer 2019, Butler was in Riley’s office celebrating the signing of the four-year, $142 million deal that landed him in Miami. The two men cracked open a bottle of Screaming Eagle cabernet from Riley’s personally curated wine cellar inside the Heat offices. Riley was telling stories, and he asked Butler who the most talented player he ever played with was. Butler answered quickly: Wiggins, the 2014 No. 1 pick and his teammate with the Timberwolves. Riley was surprised, those who were in the room remembered, and joked that Butler might need to be cut off from any more wine. But Butler insisted. Wiggins’ talent was incredible. Five years later, they were traded for each other. -via ESPN / February 7, 2025
The three-way talks even expanded to loop in Washington. Those talks included Butler, Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas, two first-round picks (from the Warriors) and two second-round picks (one each from the Heat and Warriors), and pick swaps going to the Suns, sources said. The Warriors would’ve received Durant, while the Heat could’ve received Wiggins, Cleveland’s 2025 first-round pick (via Phoenix), Dennis Schroder and Kyle Anderson. -via ESPN / February 7, 2025
