"Pat Riley has no heart" - NBA fans react as report surrounding Jimmy Butler's real reason for taking personal flights surfaces

Amid Miami Heat superstar forward Jimmy Butler's seven-game suspension, a report emerged about the reasons for his discipline, including flying separately from his teammates. However, the reported backstory behind Butler's seemingly controversial transportation methods left NBA fans questioning Heat president Pat Riley's moral compass.

Butler's discontent, reportedly stemming from his lack of a contract extension and Miami's inactive offseason, has been documented throughout the season. The six-time All-Star's apparent frustration came to a head on Jan. 2 when he requested a trade. The same day, he expressed skepticism about his ability to rediscover on-court "joy" with the franchise.

On Jan. 3, the Heat suspended Butler for seven games "for multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team."

Amid Butler's suspension, NBA insider Jake Fischer reported on his "freestyling" behavior that irked Riley and Miami, including flying apart from his team.

"Among Butler's transgressions, according to league sources, have been multiple instances of Butler skipping out on morning shootarounds altogether and insisting on private flights separate from Miami's team charter," Fischer wrote on Monday.

However, on Tuesday, Butler's camp refuted Fischer's report, telling league insider Chris Haynes that the player has rarely flown separately, primarily for a family emergency.

"I was told that in the last five years, Jimmy took less than five separate flights from the team, and four of them were during the (2023 NBA) Finals against (the) Denver (Nuggets) when his father was sick," Haynes said on the "Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz" show (Timestamp: 0:49).

Following the update, fans on X/Twitter called out Riley and Miami for seemingly unjustly attempting to tarnish Jimmy Butler's reputation.

"Pat Riley has no heart," @dgsire said.

"I can't believe Pat Riley really brought this news out to the public when the reason behind Jimmy doing it was to visit his sick dad. What a wicked man," @jbondwagon wrote.

"Pat Riley trying to make Butler look like the bad guy," @Heatflyy said.

"Pat has to GO. This shouldn't be an issue. No wonder he went from being happy to hating them," @nando17celtics wrote.

"The Heat are a pathetic organization for leaking this without context. No wonder Jimmy wants to leave," @KlawedUP said.

"The Heat and Pat Riley (are) looking worse and worse the more that comes out," @LBJcrib wrote.

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Jimmy Butler reiterates trade request to Pat Riley in face-to-face meeting

As for the chances of Miami and Jimmy Butler reconciling, they appear to be slim to none.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, Butler and Pat Riley met "face-to-face" last week, and the superstar forward reiterated his trade request. Charania added that Butler told Riley he "intends to use his $52.4 million player option for (the) 2025-26 (season) in the offseason only as a trade maneuver."

Butler is eligible to return from suspension on Friday when Miami hosts the Denver Nuggets. However, the Heat (20-18) still have a few weeks to negotiate deals for their top player before the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline.

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