Pat Riley’s memories of Jimmy Butler are still fond. Despite their reportedly contentious split, which played out across multiple scathing reports and an eventual trade that sent the six-time All-Star to Golden State in February, ending a magical six seasons in Miami, Riley didn’t torch the once fiery Heat star.

There’s a photo that Miami Heat president Pat Riley keeps in his office. It’s of Jimmy Butler, exhausted in Game 5 of the 2020 NBA Finals, catching his breath while slumped over a barrier that surrounded the court at Walt Disney World.

Pat Riley asked about tanking, Riley said he doesn’t know about that. That’s not the Heat way. (He did say earlier the Heat sort of tanked twice before this century but never