Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler took exception to comments team president Pat Riley made during his exit interview after the 2023-24 NBA season concluded.

Riley made it clear he didn’t like when Butler suggested Miami would’ve beaten the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs and also the New York Knicks later on if he had been healthy. The legendary coach and front-office executive countered that “you should keep your mouth shut on the criticism of those teams” if you’re not playing.

The Miami Herald‘s Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang reported Wednesday that Butler “was caught off guard” by the remark.

This comes against the backdrop of the uncertainty surrounding the six-time All-Star’s future in South Florida. He’s eligible for free agency in the summer and is reportedly prepared to test his value on the open market.

The Heat, for their part, “are open to listening to offers for Butler and making a deal if the proposal is right,” per ESPN’s Shams Charania, with no long-term extension in place.

According to Jackson and Chiang, another bone of contention for the 36-year-old is that Miami “did not publicly deny” Charania’s reporting about entertaining offers.

Bernie Lee, Butler’s agent, was far more combative, by contrast. Specifically addressing the idea his client had already crafted a list of favored destinations, Lee said Charania’s reporting was “complete and utter made up bulls–t” and “fabricated.”

Now, both the Miami Herald and Charania are reporting Butler would prefer to get traded before Feb. 6, though he hasn’t formally requested a move.

Barry Jackson @flasportsbuzz

With regard to Shams just reporting that Jimmy prefers a trade, here’s what I can tell you: 1) Butler camp NOT commenting. 2) Jimmy has been unhappy team didn’t extend him. 3). Jimmy didn’t attend Riley Christmas party, though he hasn’t before, either. I’ll have more shortly

Barry Jackson @flasportsbuzz

Per source, Butler has not demanded a trade and would play out year here if Heat doesn’t trade him. But would be fine with trade, as well, after Heat declined to give him extension yet.

Barry Jackson @flasportsbuzz

As long as Butler doesn’t make this into a circus, Heat would be OK taking this soap opera into July unless it gets an appealing offer before Feb. 6. If Miami gets very appealing offer, they’re certainly open to moving on from him in coming weeks. But Butler could force Heat hand… <a href=”https://t.co/VYJZjmqBpF”>https://t.co/VYJZjmqBpF</a>

For as much as this story is driving discourse around the NBA, it doesn’t sound like the dynamic is all that different from where it was before the season tipped off.

Jackson and Chiang reported that “there’s no indication that Miami feels any urgency” to trade Butler. That’s because there isn’t a practical fit for him in free agency since no contender has sufficient salary cap space, and the Heat have yet to get “an appealing trade offer.”

The closer the deadline gets, though, a prospective suitor might be willing to step up to the plate and test the Heat’s resolve.