Tim Hardaway did not hold back when discussing Jimmy Butler’s time with the Miami Heat, accusing him of intentionally missing games despite being healthy.
Speaking on Gil’s Arena, the Hall of Famer said Butler’s decision to sit out cost the Heat a direct playoff spot in recent seasons. “The only thing he wanted you to do was play more games,” Hardaway said, via HoopsHype. “I don’t want to be in the play-in games anymore. I want to be in the playoffs, have a week off, prepare, and be ready for our opponent. We’ll be fresh. Jimmy didn’t want to do that. Jimmy wanted to keep doing what he always did—taking games off. He wasn’t hurt. He was just taking games off.”
Hardaway’s comments came after he previously called Butler a “crybaby” for his handling of a contract dispute with Miami. Speaking on SiriusXM NBA Radio, he criticized Butler for requesting a trade after the Heat declined to offer him an extension.
“I didn’t agree with what he was doing,” Hardaway said. “You’re under contract. You a baby. You’re a crybaby because they said no to you.”
He also defended Miami’s stance on Butler’s availability, stating that the team had a legitimate concern about his willingness to play. Hardaway believes that if Butler had played more games, the Heat could have avoided back-to-back appearances in the play-in tournament.
“They said, ‘No, we want to see you play more games. We don’t want to be in the play-in games.’ If he played more games, they never would have been in the play-in games,” Hardaway said.
The former Heat guard also criticized the franchise for not disciplining Butler after his heated exchange with Erik Spoelstra during a timeout in 2022. Butler and Spoelstra were seen shouting at each other on the sidelines, leading to Udonis Haslem stepping in.
“When he went after Spoelstra, told Spoelstra he’d kick his butt, that should have been like, ‘Yo, you getting three to five games [suspension]. You don’t talk to the coach like that,'” Hardaway said.
Miami ultimately moved on from Butler, trading him to the Golden State Warriors in a five-team deal on February 6. The Heat acquired Andrew Wiggins as part of the return package.
Butler, who declined his player option for the 2025-26 season, signed a two-year, $121 million extension with the Warriors. He also made a personal change, adding “Butler III” to his jersey in honor of his late father.
Before the trade, Butler was averaging 17 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in 30.6 minutes per game with the Heat. Since joining Golden State, he has improved his numbers to 21.3 points, 7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in 32.5 minutes per game.
