Miami Heat president Pat Riley held his end-of-season news conference Friday, nearly two weeks after his team’s elimination from the NBA playoffs in a four-game sweep versus the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Following a tumultuous season during which team management feuded with Jimmy Butler over a contract extension and eventually traded him to the Golden State Warriors, the Heat finished as the No. 10 team in the Eastern Conference at 37-45 and had to get into the playoffs through the play-in tournament.
“There’s no doubt that what happened with Jimmy had a tremendous impact on our team,” Riley told reporters. “There’s no doubt about it.”
However, Riley had no regrets about not giving Butler the extension he wanted and felt no need to apologize — to Butler, Heat players or the team’s fans — for how the situation developed.
“No, I’m not going to apologize for saying no on the contract extension when we didn’t have to,” he said. “And I don’t think I should. I will always say that to the players, if I was coaching, ‘Keep your mouth shut, and I’ll see you next training camp.’ And you get back on the court.”
That’s the stance Riley took a year ago when he took issue with Butler saying the Heat would have defeated the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics had he not been injured. He also criticized Butler for not playing enough, presumably indicating why a contract extension wouldn’t be offered.
During the season, Butler didn’t hide his dissatisfaction, saying he lost his joy for basketball in Miami. The Heat subsequently suspended him for seven games and later issued a two-game suspension for missing a team flight. After Butler walked out of practice when learning that he wouldn’t be in the starting lineup upon his return, Miami suspended him indefinitely until a trade (in a limited market, Riley said) could be made.
Riley acknowledged players are different now than when he coached, and such an approach might not work anymore, as it has for him in the past. However, he prefers to move on from the Butler situation after addressing it for what he apparently hopes is the final time.
“It’s over. He’s done. I wish him well,” Riley added. “Good luck to him and I hope deep down in his heart somewhere, he wishes us well too.”
The longtime Heat president may prefer to look ahead to the 2025-26 season, so reporters understandably want to know what Riley’s plans are for the team. In their first-round series with the top-seeded Cavaliers, Miami lost the final two games by a combined 93 points. The Heat’s 138-83 loss in Game 4 was the fourth-most lopsided in NBA playoff history.
Riley said major changes weren’t needed and balked at the notion of rebuilding, saying it’s something the Heat have never done during his tenure. Yet he also admitted Miami has tanked twice, though he didn’t say so publicly. (In 2003, finishing 25-57 resulted in the team drafting Dwyane Wade No. 5 overall. And in 2008, a 15-67 record got them the No. 2 selection, used to pick Michael Beasley.)
The Heat will build around Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo, but Riley said they “probably won’t run it back” with the same roster. He also said the team has discussed a contract extension with Herro, who’s eligible for a three-year, $150 million deal in October.
Whatever the Heat’s plans, Riley intends to be around to see them through and won’t retire as team president.
“The new 80 is the new 60. I’m competitive as hell. I love being in the bowl,” Riley said. “I got a little depressed after the last two games. [Team owner] Micky [Arison] and [CEO] Nick [Arison] and I met, and they’ve been very good to me, and they said carry on, Pat. I’m going to carry on and try to make this thing better.”
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