Breathtaking, Tim Hardaway, a former Heat player, expressed his opinion on the trade rumors surrounding Jimmy Butler
Former Miami Heat player Tim Hardaway has openly challenged Jimmy Butler regarding the trade rumors surrounding him.
The dramatic events between the Miami Heat and Jimmy Butler have become a major topic of discussion in the basketball media. Several former players, including Gilbert Arenas, have discussed Butler's situation, but Tim Hardaway is also among them, having worked with the Heat and President Pat Riley.
Hardaway was a guest on SiriusXM NBA Radio, where he talked about the ongoing collaboration with the Miami star and harshly criticized the 35-year-old player's actions. He said that Butler has always disrespected "authority" and cannot "sink" the ship built by Riley. Additionally, he discussed his disbelief that the forward did not choose to opt-in, given that his player option is worth over $50 million.
"You can't disrespect authority, and that's what Jimmy Butler has been doing," Hardaway said.
"Pat Riley, I tell you, as long as Pat Riley is here, this ship will stay afloat, and Jimmy Butler will try to sink it. That ship won't sink. I fully support Pat Riley. You're under contract, you know, you play according to this contract.
We may see where all the chips fall, but you can choose to join for 52millionnextyear,andyousayyouwon′tchoosetojoin,whichisunbelievabletome.Howwouldyouchoosetogiveup52 million? But you know, this is all about authority saying no to someone, and these people can't accept rejection, that's all."
Since last season, Butler has been seeking an extension with the Heat, but Riley has been unwilling to agree.
Tim Hardaway contemplates Pat Riley showing Jimmy Butler to the NBPA
Afterward, Riley told Butler to "shut up" at the well-received end-of-season press conference last May because he boasted about himself during the previous playoff game when he was injured.
Regarding recent events, after the Miami Heat lost to the Indiana Pacers on January 2nd, Butler stated that he had lost the "fun" of playing basketball. When asked if he could regain this fun with the team, he replied, "probably not."
The Heat will suspend Butler for seven games "due to conduct detrimental to the team," and Hardaway even said that he knew Riley had submitted a "ten-page letter" and a video to the National Basketball Players Association, explaining why they took such action.
"This is about responsibility. If you can't accept rejection because everything keeps saying yes, yes, yes, yes, yes to you, then you'll be sad now because the end of the world is coming," Butler said.
"Oh, I can't play now because he won't give me the money I want. No, go out and play, you're under contract. Go play. I know Pat, that's what's happening. This is what's going on. I know that. I say, look, Pat has written a ten-page letter to the players' association, and he's also making a video to explain why he suspended this person before that incident happened.
Guess what? He imposed a seven-game suspension on him, and I know he gave them a ten-page letter, and I also know he gave them some videos to explain why he was suspended."
Regardless, the Heat still have one more season to play. They will face the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday night, and Butler is eligible to return when the team hosts the Denver Nuggets on January 17th.