Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade has weighed in on the drama between his former franchise and current Golden State Warriors star Jimmy Butler.
As he’s accustomed to doing, Wade had an even-keeled response laden with both understanding and concern regarding the way Butler left Miami earlier this season.
In an interview with Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald, Wade spoke on Butler’s decision to join the Dubs after a tumultuous ending to his time in Miami — a franchise he once said he wanted to retire with.
“The one thing I’ve realized is don’t go around planting blame on somebody when you really don’t know what’s going on,” he told Chiang.
“I wasn’t in the room where it happened, so I don’t know and I’m not into pointing fingers necessarily. … What I don’t like more than anything is just the stain it puts on our franchise. We have one of the greatest franchises for the last 20, 30 years that’s in professional sports. We don’t want the conversation to be about that, we want it to be about the success that we’ve had and how we’ve created that success. So it was a very unfortunate time.”
Dwyane Wade on Jimmy Butler Leaving Heat: It Doesn’t Always Have to Be ‘Ugly’
Butler’s exit from South Beach was preceded by a series of suspensions and a deteriorating relationship with the Heat’s management, led by president Pat Riley. He was suspended multiple times in January for conduct deemed detrimental to the team, including missing a flight and leaving a practice session early. These incidents culminated in an indefinite suspension and a subsequent trade request from Butler.
The primary issue appeared to be contractual disagreements. Butler was eligible for a two-year, $113 million extension, which the Heat were hesitant to offer.
Wade also emphasized that Butler’s contributions to the team were significant enough that the ending of his time in Miami ultimately shouldn’t overshadow his achievements.
“You understand that relationships come to an end,” D-Wade added. “A six-year relationship is a long time for a lot of people. So it’s OK that their relationship needed to come to an end. It’s just sometimes it doesn’t always have to be so nasty or ugly.”
Warriors Headed to NBA Playoffs, Heat Almost There
Wade’s comments underscore the complex nature of Butler’s departure—emotional ties are difficult to break and often leave folks smarting a bit as a result. While he supports Butler’s decision, Wade hopes for a future reconciliation, envisioning a time when Butler can return to Miami and be celebrated for his contributions to the franchise.
As of now, that looks far off.
Upon joining the Warriors, Butler expressed a renewed sense of purpose. “I know that I have my joy back now,” he said after getting traded to Golden State. “I’m in a different situation. Different group of guys. I can’t wait to get back out there and compete.”
Now, both Miami and Golden State are headed for the postseason. The Dubs secured the seventh seed in the Western Conference by defeating the Memphis Grizzlies 121–116 in the play-in tournament, and are set to face the second-seeded Houston Rockets in a best-of-seven series.
The Heat advanced in the Eastern Conference play-in by defeating the Chicago Bulls 109–90, propelled by Tyler Herro’s 38-point performance. Miami will now face the Atlanta Hawks on Friday to determine the eighth seed in the East.
