The saga escalated from there, with Butler receiving more suspensions and Riley and the Heat ultimately deciding to make the multi-faceted trade which netted them Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson, Davion Mitchell and a 2025 top-10 protected first-round pick.

After weeks of disagreements, Pat Riley reportedly cried to make Jimmy Butler stay with the Miami Heat, but the tactic backfired.

Like Butler, whose father died last February, Riley lost his father when he was relatively young. Sources tell The Athletic that tears welled in Riley’s eyes as he spoke to Butler about that subject, attempting to connect with him on a human level and repair their fractured relationship during a two-hour meeting.