Miami Heat president Pat Riley has never been one to beat around the bush or hold back on his feelings about his players.
On Monday, with his team out of the playoffs after a first-round loss to the Boston Celtics, he had some harsh comments about Jimmy Butler, who missed the series with an MCL injury.
Butler had said that if he hadn’t suffered the injury, the Heat would’ve gone on to get past the first round of the playoffs.
Speaking of injuries, Riley also criticized guard Tyler Herro, calling him “fragile,” and while he admitted Herro has worked hard on his strength, he will need to improve his durability, per WPLG Local 10 Sports.
Pat Riley on Tyler Herro, “he’s been fragile” pic.twitter.com/LTUdt3vzM9
— WPLG Local 10 Sports (@Local10Sports) May 6, 2024
In last year’s playoffs, Herro suffered a fractured hand, and he was therefore unavailable for most of Miami’s run to the NBA Finals.
This season, while he was tied with Butler for the highest scoring average on the team, he played in just 42 games due to multiple ailments.
Despite their success over the last few years, the Heat have been offensively challenged, and therefore the loss of a player such as Herro or Butler is magnified.
At midseason, they traded for ball-handling guard Terry Rozier, hoping he would be the solution to their lack of firepower.
While he averaged 23.2 points in 30 games with the Charlotte Hornets this season prior to the trade, he struggled with his shooting efficiency after making the move to South Florida.
While Herro is under contract for three more seasons, Butler has one season left on his current deal, as well as a player option for the 2025-26 campaign, which has put his future with the Heat in a bit of doubt.
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Pat Riley Sends A Harsh Message To Jimmy Butler
