Jimmy Butler III was one of the best players in the league when he led the Miami Heat to the 2022 NBA Finals. The Denver Nuggets ultimately won the series to win the title but it was phenomenal how Butler and Miami beat the Celtics to reach the finals that year. While the world expected Heat to build around Butler to take a shot again, it all came crashing down when Pat Riley had a fallout with the player.
It all started due to a contract dispute. Butler was eligible for two-year, $113 million extension, but the Heat did not want to offer it. Riley and Co. did not want to match his asking price since he missed about 25% of the franchise’s games. Ultimately, Butler publicly claimed that he did not expect to feel happiness once again in Miami, which led to a suspension that lasted seven games.
Why Did Jimmy Butler III Leave Heat?
Butler suffered two more suspensions in January alone. The second suspension was when he missed a team flight, and the next one was when he left a shootaround early before a game. It all ended when Butler reportedly asked for a trade, and that’s when the Golden State Warriors came calling.
While Butler never directly revealed the real reason why he left Miami, he has recently revealed about the difference after moving to Golden State. He said, “”All that noise, all that chaos paid off in a major way. I’m lucky to be part of this phenomenal organization.”
Jimmy Butler says all the chaos in Miami last season paid off, and he’s glad to finally be part of an organization with no hidden agendas
“All that noise, all that chaos paid off in a major way. I’m lucky to be part of this phenomenal organization. Everywhere starts off great,… pic.twitter.com/bY45S9UQpC
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 20, 2025
“Everywhere starts off great, but then you know someone has to be the bad guy, and it gets to be me. I’m always the one doing something unbearable all of a sudden. …But that’s OK. I get to play in this wonderful league, with amazing teammates. But being here, they’ve only got one goal. To keep hanging those things up on the wall. Ain’t no hidden agendas,” Butler added.
Butler takes a shot at his former team when he claims that the Warriors do not have any ‘hidden agendas’ or ‘chaos’ that he experienced back then. He claims to be in a positive environment with Stephen Curry and Co., which seems to be the reality so far.
His arrival had an immediate impact on the Warriors, which was displayed in their winning streak that lasted a few weeks. The Warriors were ultimately weakened by Curry’s injury and could not build winning momentum.
This year, they seem to have a decent roster on paper, after signing the likes of Al Horford and G De’Anthony Melton. They also re-signed Gary Payton III and Jonathan Kuminga, after a long dispute with the latter.
It will be interesting to see how the Warriors perform with Butler and Curry leading the charge. Injuries will play a key role in their success, which only time will decide which direction their season heads.
