Shaquille O'Neal makes bold Jimmy Butler prediction ahead of Warriors star's Miami return game

After a long, dramatic trade saga, the Jimmy Butler era in Miami came to an end when the disgruntled star was sent to the Golden State Warriors. However, the story doesn't end there as another chapter is about to be added.

For the first time since the trade, Butler will face the Heat on Tuesday, marking the Warriors’ only visit to Kaseya Center this season.

A former Heat champion believes Butler will put on a special performance. On NBA on TNT’s pregame show, Shaquille O’Neal predicted that Butler would have one of his best scoring performances against his former team.

"From both sides, I think it'll be a very energetic game," O'Neal said. "Speaking from personal experience, it's the Pat Riley-Heat culture way or else. There's nothing wrong with that — he's been successful doing that.

"But when you say to a guy like Jimmy (Butler), with all he's done, with all the success, 'We're not gonna give you an extension,' of course the emotions start to fly and Jimmy will act a different way."

O'Neal said he expects Jimmy Butler to have a standout performance against his former team.

"Knowing Jimmy, I'm thinking he's gonna go for 40 tonight."

Just like Jimmy Butler, O’Neal is familiar with Pat Riley. Riley was the Heat head coach when O’Neal and Dwyane Wade won a title in 2006.

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How has Jimmy Butler performed against his former teams after bitter exits?

Jimmy Butler's departure from Miami isn’t the first time the star has left a team on bad terms. His tenure with the Minnesota Timberwolves became infamous for clashes with teammates, and he appeared upset when the Philadelphia 76ers chose to give Tobias Harris a contract over him.

As a result, Butler has entered several games with underlying tension. But how has he performed in those situations?

In the 2018-19 season, Butler was traded from the Timberwolves to the 76ers after just 13 games. That season, the Sixers faced the Wolves twice.

In their first matchup on Jan. 15, 2019, Butler torched his former team with efficient shooting, scoring 19 points on 8-for-10 shooting in a 149-107 blowout win. In their next meeting, on March 30, 2019, he recorded a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds, helping the Sixers win again, 118-109.

He left the 76ers in the summer of 2019 in a sign-and-trade deal that sent him to the Heat. During his time in Miami, he faced the Sixers multiple times, but perhaps his most iconic performance came during the 2022 postseason.

That year, the Heat ran into the Sixers in the second round of the playoffs, eliminating them in six games. Butler averaged 27.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists in the series.

As the Heat closed out the Sixers, Butler was heard saying on his way to the locker room.

"Tobias Harris over me?"

Jimmy Butler's relationship with Riley, in his role as team president, had become strained. The first sign of trouble came when Riley told Butler to “keep quiet” after Butler suggested the 2024 playoffs would have gone differently if he hadn’t been injured.

Since then, the relationship between Butler and Riley has not been the same, culminating in a bitter breakup.