Pat Riley did not expect his Miami Heat to struggle the way they did after he traded away Jimmy Butler. Since that trade, they lost 18 games while winning just 12, enough to remain in the play-in spots.

A: Or did Pat Riley simply ask/demand Jimmy Butler to show up more often and walk the walk as often as he talked the talk? And as much as might be claimed otherwise, it was the Heat’s actions and not Riley’s words that had Butler greasing the skids for an exit.

With the Miami Heat’s season clouded with the drama involving Jimmy Butler this past year, it would also end in a frustrating sweep to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs. As the Heat look to improve this offseason,