Pat Riley's personal remarks about Jimmy Butler's recently deceased father in heated meeting, sparked the beginning of the end, reports NBA insider

On Wednesday night, the months-long saga between Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat finally came to an end. Now that the trade has been finalized, developments have surfaced regarding low points in discussions with Pat Riley.

Butler and Riley's relationship started to get rocky at the end of last season following some choice comments from the longtime executive. Things only got worse as the All-Star forward requested that the organization grant him a change of scenery.

In a recent column for The Athletic, numerous insiders detailed the growing tension between Jimmy Butler and Riley in recent weeks. One of the biggest instances was when the Heat executive began talking about the star forward's father. As revealed in the "Starting 5" documentary, Butler's father died in February of 2024.

"From Butler’s vantage point, Riley was 'unhinged and disturbing,' as a league source close to him described it. More specifically, Butler told those close to him that the longtime team president referenced Butler’s recently deceased father several times during the meeting, offered 'unsolicited and unwanted' parenting advice and even shed tears before ending the meeting by telling Butler he loved him."

“It struck a chord,” one team source said.

Just before Thursday's trade deadline, Riley and the Heat put an end to this ongoing feud. While the Phoenix Suns were the primary team connecting to him in rumors, the veteran forward is heading to the Warriors to partner with Steph Curry.

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Jimmy Butler makes bold statement in welcome message to Warriors fans

With a trade being made, Jimmy Butler can finally put the shaky end of his Miami Heat tenure behind him. As he embarks on this new journey, the star forward made a bold claim to his new fan base.

On Thursday night, Butler posted a video on the Warriors' social media account to send a message to the fans. He let them know he's excited to be there and took things a step further. Butler capped off the video by claiming that another championship is on the way for the Warriors.

"Super excited," Butler said. "Ready to win, ready to work, ready to put on a show for y'all. Let's get it, championship coming soon."

Adding Jimmy Butler certainly increases the Warriors' chances, but there are a lot of teams they have to go through. With about 30 games to go, Golden State is currently outside the playoff picture in 11th place. That said, they are less than four games out of sixth place, so there's a good chance they can climb the standings.

With numerous championships under their belt already, the Warriors understand what it takes to win in the postseason. During his time with the Heat, Butler proved he can elevate his game in the big moments. Now part of a winning culture, he'll attempt to aid the franchise as they try to add another title to their dynasty.