Things have gone off the rails in Miami between the Heat and disgruntled star Jimmy Butler. The six-time all-star has requested a trade out of Miami and after initially saying the franchise would not move him, the team reversed course and said they would listen to offers … after suspending him for seven games for conduct detrimental to the team.
So what do we make of the situation? Who is to blame? Well, Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson broke it all down on the latest episode of All The Smoke Unplugged.
Stak says he knew this was coming because he could see the pattern with Jimmy. He says it’s the same thing we saw from Butler in Minnesota and Philly — when he’s not happy he starts being hurt a lot, missing games and doing a lot of stuff that’s unusual from a competitor like Butler. Once Pat Riley started making public comments, Stak knew Butler would rebel. Now, he didn’t expect Butler to come right out and say it couldn’t work for him in Miami anymore, but he knew troubled waters were ahead.
Matt sees both sides. He says Riley has a history of doing things his way and that’s produced championships almost everywhere he’s been. It’s been his way or the highway. But does that style still work in today’s NBA? Does he have to conform to this new era of basketball? And Matt asks in Jimmy’s defense: What has Pat brought him in terms of star support during his Miami tenure? Matt highlights something Dan Le Batard said on Monday’s show, which can be seen weekdays at 11 a.m. ET on DraftKings Network. Le Batard pointed out that Miami has found a way to get underachievers to reach their absolute ceiling and max out their talent, but they’ve never added a superstar to help Jimmy.
So is Riley in danger of becoming another Jerry Jones — running his organization into the ground because he’s unable or unwilling to change with the times? Because Matt admits that if he were a younger player he wouldn’t want to go to Miami if this is how things are going to be. Stak agrees that while Riley’s championship mentality doesn’t have to change, his approach certainly does. He says you can’t necessarily be that drill sergeant anymore. And there are few dawgs in the league and while Jimmy is one of them, the Heat never paired him with the star he needed to get to the next level. Stak likes Bam Adebayo, but he’s not that guy right now. He’s not an Anthony Davis. So while he loves Riley’s championship attitude, his approach HAS to change.
So where does Jimmy end up? While Jimmy initially was said to be going anywhere, believing he can turn any team into a contender, reports today have surfaced that there are places he doesn’t want to go, such as Memphis. Last week, DraftKings released initial odds on Jimmy’s next team, which seemed to favor places like Golden State and Phoenix. But Stak has a different idea. He says San Antonio is the only place that makes sense. Everything is else is fluff.
"The only place is San Antonio. Everything else is fluff."
Matt & Stak break down the latest in the Jimmy Butler saga on an all-new episode of ALL THE SMOKE Unplugged.
Full episode is available now on our YouTube. pic.twitter.com/QurJTtwZPV
— All the Smoke Productions (@allthesmokeprod) January 7, 2025
With San Antonio, Stak says Jimmy can get his new deal and possibly have a chance to win a title while bringing the Spurs some much-needed toughness. Stak thinks Jimmy and CP3 would be great together and going anywhere will lead to Jimmy beefing with his new team. Stak says he knows this from personal experience. So the only way he can feel like a pro, feel like a champion, get his money and finish the right way is to go to the Spurs.
Watch or listen to the full episode below and keep an eye on DraftKings Network for new episodes of All The Smoke Unplugged every Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET!
SHOW BREAKDOWN
Butler & Fox Trade Scenarios + NFL Playoff Preview with Coach JB | ALL THE SMOKE Unplugged
- Stak is in the building! Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson dive deep into the NBA’s hottest storylines, including Jimmy Butler and Pat Riley’s recent controversies, Anthony Edwards’ growing pains, and LiAngelo Ball’s viral song. Special guest Coach Jason Brown (Last Chance U) brings his raw, unfiltered takes on college football’s NIL landscape and breaks down the epic MVP battle between Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson. Plus, get his expert analysis on what to watch for in this year’s NFL Playoffs. Fan-favorite Neighborhood Hater Geno returns with his signature no-holds-barred reaction to the D’Angelo Russell Lakers trade.
VIDEO:
Check out the DraftKings YouTube page and the All The Smoke Productions YouTube page for more. Subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson on Instagram at @Matt_Barnes9 and @_Stak5_ as well as All The Smoke Productions.
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