Pat Riley blasts Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro at Miami Heat press conference.

The Miami Heat were eliminated by the Boston Celtics in the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs after being ravaged by injuries.

Jimmy Butler, Terry Rozier, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Josh Richardson all missed Miami’s final game.

With an eye on the offseason, Heat president Pat Riley has completed his annual press conference following Miami’s season. Riley didn’t mince words in 2024, and his tone indicated that he wasn’t pleased with the Heat’s entire performance.

It’s understandable given the Heat’s humiliating defeat at the hands of the Celtics. Riley wants to return Miami to the top of the mountain, and that begins with its key players moving forward.

Miami Heat president takes shots at Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro

Riley knows just what to say and what not to say during press appearances. Every word, phrase, and sentence has meaning, and the 79-year-old leader was candid about Butler and Tyler Herro. Riley did not like Butler’s off-court behavior in the first round versus Boston.

“For him to say that, I thought, ‘Is that Jimmy trolling or is that Jimmy serious?’” Riley explained. “If you’re not on the court playing against Boston, if you’re not on the court playing against the New York Knicks, you should keep your mouth shut in your criticism of those teams.”

Butler’s comments came when he missed the 2024 NBA playoffs due to an MCL strain sustained during the Play-In Tournament versus the Philadelphia 76ers. Butler’s inability to participate in the postseason was one of the factors that influenced Riley’s view on player availability.

Riley stated that the Heat have a “really good” bunch of players, but the “No. 1” difficulty is keeping those players on the court every night. Miami used 37 different starting lineups in 89 games during the 2023-24 NBA season, setting a franchise record.

The Heat were never able to stay healthy, therefore they were forced to compete in the play-in tournament. If Miami could stay healthy, Butler would most likely avoid injury and play against the Celtics in the first round. Perhaps the team would have had a chance.

Riley lauded Herro’s work ethic, but admitted that his health is a concern. During his five-year tenure with Miami, the shooting guard has only played more over 60 games twice.

“[Tyler Herro] has been fragile a little bit, broke his hand last year in the playoffs, had injuries earlier in his career,” Riley said. “His main injuries are real. We hope to get through a season when he plays 72 to 82 games. Maybe one day he’ll surprise us by playing every game. I recall [former Los Angeles Lakers star] James Worthy suffering several ailments in his first and second seasons. It happens occasionally.”

Riley’s top priority in bringing the Heat back to the NBA Finals is clear: player availability. Almost the entire Eastern Conference is dealing with ailments, and Miami was among them. Include the newly eliminated Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers on the list as well.

If Butler wants the maximum contract extension possible, he will most likely need to complete the season healthy. Why? It seemed absurd to pay a 37-year-old player around $50 million when he struggles to stay healthy.

Herro may not get another chance with Miami if the team chooses to retool around Butler’s schedule. Riley stated that the Heat will not trade the great forward, so they must maximize his window. However, if Butler’s availability is uncertain, the opportunity may close shortly.