More background on Jimmy Butler's suspension; Pat Riley on players: 'render unto the Heat'

Ira Winderman, South Florida Sun-Sentinel on Jan 9, 2025

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SALT LAKE CITY — On the day an interview with Miami Heat President Pat Riley dropped regarding dealing with player empowerment, more clarity emerged about the ongoing team suspension of forward Jimmy Butler.

Amid the unpaid seven-game suspension of Butler, an NBA party familiar with the process offered background on the ongoing stalemate that is not scheduled to have Butler back with the team until the Jan. 17 game against the Denver Nuggets at Kaseya Center.

— The Heat believed an agreement was in place that, in the wake of the Heat bypassing an extension for Butler at the start of that July window, that Butler would not raise the extension or contract matters during the course of the season.

— The team did not offer the extension, with that window still open, amid concerns of missed time, with Butler missing 22 of the 82 regular-season games last season and then a play-in game and the 4-1 first-round ouster at the hands of the Boston Celtics.

— The Heat continually had worked to upgrade the roster during a Butler tenure that began in the 2019 offseason, despite Butler’s objections to the contrary.

While actions and comments by Butler have portrayed a contrasting view, Butler missed 10 of the season’s first 30 games and then offered a pair of seemingly indifferent efforts, leading to the ongoing suspension, with the Heat agreeing to seek potential trades.

Against that backdrop came the release of an interview with media personality Dan LeBatard that was taped well in advance of the recent disagreements with Butler.

During that interview Riley spoke of player empowerment and responsibilities to honor commitments to contracts and team responsibilities.

“I understand this generation of players and how they want to go about living their life,” Riley said in the clip of the interview posted Thursday on social media. “It’s different, in the music they listen to and how they brand themselves and what they wear and how they dress. It might be a little bit more flamboyant than what I want, but that’s who they are. And I respect that.”

He then continued:

“There’s a difference. Be who you want to be, but in one of the great biblical terms, render unto Caesar what is his. And when the apostles were trying to give all of their money to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, he said, no pay Caesar what he wants, what he is, and then give it to other people.

“And, so, as players, they have to render unto the Heat really what is theirs, too. And while they go out there and they do all these other things, you can’t shortcut it with us. And so, I’ve actually explained this to players, is that while you’re under contract to us, you do owe us something. Your Collective Bargaining Agreement contract says that. And, so, don’t ever take that lightly. And we have a very cooperative group of people. And, so, yes, I feel like I owe and I have to render unto (Heat owner Micky Arison). He’s my boss, and I don’t do it with any other way other than with respect and I feel the same way about the players.”

Riley also touched on player empowerment, with Butler’s social-media presence and outside endeavors taking his personality beyond typical in the Heat realm.

Speaking of today’s players in general, and not specifically of Butler, Riley said: “The players who want to express themselves in a way that is absolutely anti what my beliefs are in representing an organization, whether it’s to grow a bigger brand, to make more money, to go out there, that separates themselves a little bit from the pack, there’s nothing you can do about that.

“If the league wants that, content is king. And I have found that out, that trying to keep the media out, the commissioner won’t allow that. Access is what it’s all about. And so players’ personalities today, the younger generation is just different than it was when I grew up.”