Butler vs. Heat has created a strange bedfellow in none other than Charles Barkley

Ira Winderman, South Florida Sun-Sentinel on Jan 24, 2025

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In the pantheon of strange bedfellows amid the Miami Heat’s ongoing differences with Jimmy Butler, frequent critic Charles Barkley emerging as Heat supporter adds another layer to the unexpected.

With the Heat featured on TNT on Thursday night (albeit somewhat briefly, until their blowout loss to the Milwaukee Bucks was shifted to truTV), Barkley took advantage of the opportunity to again inject himself into the drama between Butler and Heat President Pat Riley.

In that regard, the Inside the NBA analyst did not hold back amid this second Butler team suspension, one scheduled to end with Saturday night’s game against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center.

“Jimmy is going up against Pat Riley. He’s going to lose,” Barkley said, with Butler now having been suspended for nine total games, at a loss in excess of $3 million in salary that eventually will be settled in arbitration. “Pat Riley is arguably the greatest person in NBA history as far as coaching, running teams, everything. Pat Riley is not going to lose. Jimmy is just wasting money.”

The Heat have acknowledged seeking trade offers, but also have until the Feb. 6 NBA trading deadline to decide if such a move will come this season.

As it is, the next unknown in the spectacle is Monday night’s game against the Orlando Magic at Kaseya Center, when this latest two-game suspension will be over.

“He’s lost $3 million that he’s never going to see. That’s a lot of money,” Barkley said of Butler. “No matter how much money you got, $3 million is a lot.

“He’s going to get traded. But the Heat are not going to take 50 cents on a dollar. And if you get in a contest with Pat Riley, you’re going to lose, plain and simple.”

The lob game

While the move of rookie 7-footer Kel’el Ware into the Heat’s starting lineup two games ago has further unlocked the team’s lob game, coach Erik Spoelstra said the approach remains a work in progress.

Spoelstra said even with the new toy at the team’s disposal, there also has to be patience with the approach with the No. 15 pick in last June’s draft.

“We need to get a lot better at this too, in working possessions,” Spoelstra said. “Some of those possessions where we worked it to get the lob, that’s not just not on an initial trigger. And that’s a sign, when you can do it consistently. That’s a sign of a good basketball team.

“We’re not there right now, in terms of being able to recognize the coverage, work collectively to get a great shot every single time. But we’re making progress. He’s getting better. He helps our offense when he’s able to get behind the defense.”

Carter’s night

Saturday’s game in Brooklyn will include the retirement of Vince Carter’s No. 15 Nets jersey.

Carter, whose Nets tenure came when the team played in New Jersey, will become the seventh player to have a number retired by the franchise, joining Dražen Petrovic (3), Jason Kidd (5), John Williamson (23), Bill Melchionni (25), Julius Erving (32) and Buck Williams (52).

In commemoration of the event, the Empire State Building will be lit in the Nets’ throwback red, white and blue color scheme Saturday, with No.15 rotating on the spire.

Carter’s five seasons (2004-09) with the Nets accounted for the best statistical stretch of his Hall of Fame career, ranking third in Nets history in points (8,834), including the team’s only 2,000-point season (2,070 in 2006-07).

Injury report

Heat injury report for Saturday at Brooklyn:

— Out: Butler (suspension), Dru Smith (Achilles), Josh Richardson (heel), Isaiah Stevens (G League), Keshad Johnson (G League).

— Available: Tyler Herro (groin).