Jimmy Butler’s exit from the Miami Heat remains a sour subject. Reports during and after Butler’s final season in Miami detailed growing tension between the six-time All-Star and the Heat organization, including ones that hinted at some unsaid feelings between Bam Adebayo and Butler. But Adebayo appears to want to see the number 22 up in the rafters.
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A screenshot circulating on social media appears to show Adebayo reposting a Hoopsview graphic about The Athletic’s jersey-retirement list, which included Butler’s No. 22 among the numbers projected to be retired.
The Athletic put out a tier list of players who could eventually have their numbers retired, and Jimmy Butler was part of “Tier 1 – Definitely will be retired.” Even Bam Adebayo’s 13 was on the list, but in the next tier, “Tier 2 – Almost certain to happen.”
However, the repost does not currently appear among the reposts visible on Adebayo’s Instagram account. Still, the screenshot posted by The HEAT Realm is catching enough heat on social media, especially after Five Reasons Sports’ Ethan Skolnick reported that the Heat currently do not plan to retire Butler’s No. 22.
“This isn’t opinion/preference. Just fact. As long as the majority of the current Heat front office is in place, 22 isn’t being retired,” Skolnick reported. “And the Heat front office never changes.”
The conflicting reports underline how Jimmy Butler’s tenure with the Heat got overshadowed by his messy exit. Alongside Bam Adebayo, Butler led Miami to two NBA Finals and gave the franchise and the fans plenty to celebrate over six seasons. But the relationship turned sour.
In his first game back at Kaseya Center after the trade, Butler did not exchange handshakes or words with his former Heat teammates or coaches. Then there was also a report from Barry Jackson that “there was some level of resentment from multiple former Heat players that Bam was the chosen one.” Jackson later clarified that he was referring to Butler and Herro when discussing the former players who had felt resentment toward Adebayo. The apparent repost, though, has fueled speculation about the relationship between the two.
But the tension between Butler and Miami also extended beyond the locker room and into the front office, as the Heat then assigned Butler’s No. 22 to Andrew Wiggins.
And before his exit, Butler missed a team flight and later walked out of a shootaround, incidents that contributed to the suspensions. The Heat suspended him three times in January before trading him to the Golden State Warriors in February 2025. Even Pat Riley’s tears didn’t stop Butler from leaving, according to The Athletic
“According to multiple league sources with knowledge of the meeting, tears welled in Riley’s eyes as he attempted to connect with Butler on a human level. Both men had lost their fathers, and Riley’s famed toughness faded in the moment as he thought about Butler mourning his father’s death last season. But Riley’s vulnerability did not land with Butler. The player viewed Riley’s behavior as ‘unhinged,’ a league source close to Butler said. Butler left the meeting more convinced than ever that he needed a new basketball home.”
This reported account of the meeting offers another perspective on why Butler’s exit was so complicated. Despite this, Riley made sure to appreciate Jimmy Butler and his efforts during his tenure. “He played his a– off, his heart out for us.”
But Butler’s public comments about Riley remained far more pointed. Before that, Jimmy Butler had stated that he wasn’t “spiteful” towards anyone, including his teammates. But he had “nothing to say to Pat,” which many attribute to how Butler felt disrespected by the Heat after he was refused a maximum contract extension. And how Riley publicly criticized Butler after a comment where Butler claimed the Heat would have beaten the Celtics or Knicks if he hadn’t been injured, telling Butler he should keep quiet if he isn’t on the court. Riley had also sent a harsh letter accusing Butler of being combative, threatening to ignore coach Erik Spoelstra, and refusing to stand in team huddles.
Riley has been part of the franchise since 1995. He serves as the current team president, which is why the report from Skolnick stands out. He added that he expects Adebayo’s No. 13 and LeBron James’ No. 6 to eventually reach the rafters, while maintaining that Butler’s No. 22 will not be retired as long as the current front-office majority remains in place.