Seven weeks later, Jimmy Butler’s return to Miami is met with much fanfare. The Get-in prices for the game against the Warriors are more expensive than the Heat’s next five games combined, as per Tick Pick. It’s not just the fans that are watching; even the TNT crew, including Shaquille O’Neal, are on broadcasting duty. If the game lacked any more heat, then Butler made sure with his pre-game comments that the water was not under the bridge.

“I have nothing to say to Pat, and Pat better have nothing to say to me.” Reporter Taylor Rooks quoted Jimmy Butler on his thoughts ahead of his return to Miami. Responding to this quote, Shaq was asked his thoughts and if he felt the same when the Heat President traded him away. The Lakers legend said, “of course,” implying any player would feel the same. “But you know it was done the way it was done, so of course, emotions are going to be high. So you know you have to understand how he feels.”

Before siding with Butler’s feeling on his return game, the 4x NBA champion explained once again about the Pat Riley ‘Heat Culture’. “One thing I know from personal experience is the Pat Riley heat culture way or else there’s nothing wrong with that you know.” Later, Shaquille O’Neal made a bold prediction favoring the latest Bay Area recruit.

“But you know when you say to a guy like Jimmy with all he’s done, with all the success he’s had here, ‘We’re not going to give you extension.’ Of course, you know emotions start to fly, and Jimmy started to act a different way…” The Big Aristotle said on NBA on TNT, “But knowing Jimmy, knowing the dog and Jimmy, I’m think he’s going to go for 40 tonight.”

Despite Pat Riley’s issue with the 6x NBA All-Star, the franchise did play a tribute video on his return. Let’s look at how the other Heat players reacted seeing their former teammate on the hardwood.

Unlike Shaquille O’Neal’s backing, the Heat team sends mixed signals to Butler

From Heat President Pat Riley’s offseason stance on not trading Jimmy Butler… to not extending his contract… to Butler’s indifferent midseason behavior that got him suspended… it was a domino effect that ultimately ended with him being traded to Golden State. And in the middle of all this drama? The franchise took the biggest hit.

Miami went from a perennial contender to struggling for answers, even enduring a brutal 10-game losing streak before finally snapping it.

So, when it was time for a return, sharing the same space for the first time, it was not that smooth. The Heat captain and former running mate of Jimmy Butler barely acknowledged each other. Bam Adebayo did not share any words, no handshake—just silence. On the other hand, the longest embrace of the night came when he reconnected with Kevin Love! Yes, the same former teammate who shared cryptic memes on Instagram whenever Butler’s trade rumors surfaced.

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Speaking about the trade, it was Shaquille O’Neal who constantly backed the Warriors forward. While Charles Barkley felt that Butler’s ask for an extension was not entirely correct. At Halftime, the return is not what the 35-year-old expected. The scoreline favors Heat 57-40 with Butler playing 15 minutes in total, but way off on Shaquille O’Neal’s prediction. Just 2 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and a forgetful shooting of 1/6.