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1 “Keep your mouth shut.” Pat Riley has been mad at Jimmy Butler in the past, but the 6x All-Star would not want to push it further. The differences between the Miami Heat President and their power forward are out in the open. Butler’s desire to play for a different team is no secret either. Especially since he has mentioned he no longer finds “joy” in the game in Miami. But if history tells us anything, it’s how strongly Riley can stand his ground. So, former NBA star Carmelo Anthony does not want the situation to escalate to the point where Butler has nothing but regrets.
Appearing on his 7PM in Brooklyn podcast, Melo highlighted, “Pat been doing this for 100 years.” The reference here is Riley not hesitating to let go of even players like Shaquille O’Neal and LeBron James in the past. But things can be far more consequential for Butler, Carmelo Anthony claimed.
“Pat gonna send him [Jimmy] to somewhere… ‘You want to f*ck with me, I’mma send you to a place that they might think about waving you.’ Because you don’t fit [in] what we [the team Butler lands on] trying to do,” Melo said. One such scenario is how Butler could land on a team with a younger lot. Someplace where they have no idea where the 6x All-Star fits in.
Dec 16, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) walks off the court after the game against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
“And that’s gonna be a f*ck you to Jimmy. And then now you have to deal with that over there with that organization. So Jimmy, chill out, man,” Melo added with a hint of concern. Another point raised was Butler’s age. He could lose at least one year of his career with an undesirable team. Something that the 6x All-Star would not want at 35.
Further in the conversation, Carmelo Anthony highlighted how this could even mean an end to Butler’s basketball career. “Jimmy is the type that… If he’s not happy… He will completely walk away from this sh*t [not just NBA but basketball]…” The ex-Knicks star, however, does not want things to go down this way. So, he even low-key appealed to Riley to let go of things.
Carmelo Anthony believes the Lakers could be the best destination for Butler
Can you imagine Jimmy Butler wearing the iconic purple and gold of the Lakers? While most rumors have linked Butler to the Phoenix Suns, Anthony has a different idea. And it’s bound to make Lakers fans sit up and take notice.
Speaking on the 7PM Brooklyn podcast, the former NBA star was asked where he’d send Butler if he had the choice. Without hesitation, he said, “Right now? I’m sending Jimmy to the Lakers.” Carmelo Anthony, however, didn’t just stop there.
The ex-Knicks star broke down why the 6x All-Star and the Lakers could be a match made in basketball heaven. “You got a veteran team, veteran guys on your team. (Bron) know what you can bring to the team.” Imagine Jimmy’s grit and defense alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. As Anthony put it, “They need defense. You bring that. You bring toughness, and you can go get it. Bron don’t want to have to keep going to get it.”
It seems, however, that the fate of Butler‘s next destination lies with Pat Riley. So, as per Melo’s advice, the 6x All-Star would want to keep it cool with the Heat president hereon.
The post Jimmy Butler Faces Caution from Carmelo Anthony as Pat Riley’s NBA Influence Looms Large appeared first on EssentiallySports.
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