Image: Jimmy Butler III #10 of the Golden State Warriors and Bam Adebayo #13 of the Miami Heat on the court during the first quarter at Kaseya Center on March 25, 2025, in Miami, Florida.
Bring the petty: Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo face off against one another at the Kaseya Center.
Former Miami Heat all-star and current Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler made his highly anticipated return to the Magic City to face his old teammates at the Kaseya Center on Tuesday night. If one thing was clear from his homecoming, it’s that time hasn’t completely healed the wounds of one of the NBA’s ugliest breakups — not for Butler, and not for Miami Heat fans.
And that's OK. Because, like Marie Kondo, we're here for the mess.
As for the game itself, the Heat dominated Butler and the Warriors, cruising to a rare, luxuriously unbothered 112-86 victory. Butler, perhaps paying homage to some of his recent performances with Miami, quietly exited after a sluggish 11-point outing in which he played a mere 29 minutes. Meanwhile, Bam Adebayo, who covered Butler on the defensive end most of the night, dropped 27 points with eight rebounds in the win.
The Heat’s win was satisfying, but the real deliciousness wasn’t the final score — it was the pettiness, both on and off the court. From Butler himself to the Heat fans and even the team’s social media crew, the petty was on full display.
Without further ado, here are the top petty moments from Jimmy Butler’s return to Miami.
“I HAVE NOTHING TO SAY TO PAT, & PAT BETTER HAVE NOTHING TO SAY TO ME.”
Jimmy Butler on Pat Riley during his return to Miami as a Golden State Warrior 👀
Thoughts? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/FLmlW81bVl
— Courtside Buzz (@CourtsideBuzzX) March 25, 2025
Jimmy Butler Threatens Elderly Man
The Petty was turned all the way up before the Warriors-Heat game even started, beginning with Jimmy Butler telling NBA reporter Taylor Rooks, "I have nothing to say to Pat (Riley). And Pat better have nothing to say to me," Ohhhhh - mysterious. Big tough Jimmy Butler might yell at an old man because he didn't give him three million extra dollars on top of the hundreds of millions he already gave him previously — beat his ass, Jimmy!
Sadly, we genuinely believe Jimmy Butler can scuffle with an 80-year-old man. At the very least, disrespecting him during a time when taking the higher road would be the easiest path.
Petty Level: Infinity
Jimmy Butler watches his tribute video from the Heat followed by some cheering and booing from Heat fans 👀
(via @ZachWeinberger) pic.twitter.com/3zJkvFZhQi
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 25, 2025
Boo Birds for Butler
The Miami Heat tried to take the high road by offering Butler a tribute video featuring all his greatest moments in a Heat uniform. In true Miami fashion, Heat fans decided what was missing from the videos was a reminder that people forgive, but they don't forget.
Heat fans seemed about 75 percent positive toward Butler, at least on television. But the 25 percent that brought their petty lunchpail came to work.
Petty Level: Moderate
Full pre-tip portion of the game. Jimmy Butler daps up Alec Burks. No interaction between Butler and Bam or Herro. pic.twitter.com/3wawvEZXcK
— Locked On Heat (@LockedOnHeat) March 25, 2025
Jimmy Butler Ignores Former Teammate's Pregame
Hating Pat Riley is one thing, but taking it out on your former co-workers is quite another level of pettiness that Butler had refrained from during the peak of his drama queen ways. Butler avoided interacting with his former co-stars — Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro — pregame. Instead, he caught up with Alec Burks, who was elevated to a starting role when Butler left town.
Adebayo and Herro are the same former co-workers who had to answer questions for months while Butler, claiming injuries and illnesses, traveled the world sipping clear drinks garnished with lime wedges, watching tennis, and playing pickleball. The audacity.
Petty level: Extreme
No postgame handshakes for Jimmy Butler in his first game against the Heat.
Dapped up his entourage and dipped with a sea of boos from the crowd.#HEATNation pic.twitter.com/Xs8KIeIeTw
— Matt Hanifan (@mph_824_) March 26, 2025
Jimmy Butler Has No Friends
After taking his ass-kicking, Jimmy Butler exited stage left without as much of a glance at his old teammates as they shook the hands of his current ones. He stopped in the crowd to shake hands with what others claim are parts of his entourage. You know — the guys you see him playing cards with on private planes. They are probably the ones taking his Instagram pictures. Those guys!
No class. Shows his ass the way out.
Petty Level: SAD
Always good to see your former coaches & teammates ❤️ pic.twitter.com/jNtY42o8cH
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) March 26, 2025
Heat Social Media Trolls Jimmy
While Jimmy walked his happy ass down the visitor's tunnel, the rest of his teammates — both former and current — did the customary thing and dapped each other up; that ground included former Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins, a locker mate favorite, who came to Miami in the Butler trade. Heat social media noted that Wiggins and his former team reunited, while Jimmy and his did not. But in the most obvious way possible.
Well played, Heat social media. We respect this level of troll.
Petty Level: Expert
2-0 season sweep against GSW 🧹 pic.twitter.com/Tf8BnNNRkx
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) March 26, 2025
Social Media Mic Drop
If the post about not congratulating former teammates wasn’t clear enough, allow us to present an even more blatant shot from the social media team — featuring a graphic highlighting the Warriors’ winless record against the Heat, with Butler facing Bam. It was a perfectly staged mic-drop moment. Boomshakalaka.
Petty Level: Advanced
If the Heat want to turn up the petty another notch the rest of this season, the best way would be to get the last laugh by finishing the season at least as far as Butler and the Warriors go. That means making it to the playoffs and, at the very least, competing with the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers.
For now, we'll take a petty versus petty night, with the home team coming out victorious.