Did Pat Riley send a clear and present message to Jimmy Butler?

Q: Ira, I guess Pat Riley still carries his harpoon. Looks like he’s been toying with the idea of a Jimmy Butler extension. –Alex.

A: And I by no means believe that theater is finished. Does Jimmy Butler get his extension as desired at 12:01 a.m. on July 7? I highly doubt it, based on Pat Riley’s speech on Monday. Instead, this well could become a fascinating case study in off-season passive aggression, with Jimmy traveling the world amid a breadcrumb trail of potential discontent. Pat Riley took his position where he feels most comfortable, from the podium, in front of the cameras rolling. Jimmy’s counter is sure to appear on his social media channels of choice, probably with a variety of emojis of the type we know Pat loves so much. In their own way, Pat and Jimmy are both masters at this. It turns out the competition really never ends with the Heat.

Q: Jimmy Butler has had several DNPs for personal reasons this year. –Joe.

A: And I truly believe that if Jimmy Butler had made those reasons public, it would have clarified a lot about his missed time. But it is within his and the team’s rights to keep these matters confidential. For example, once it was clarified after the fact that Delon Wright had missed a playoff game against the Celtics for the birth of his daughter, there was no pushback regarding the absence, just well wishes.

Q: Pat Riley was good on Monday, honest and refreshing. – Sand.

A: That’s all you can ask of any manager and team leader, is to be willing to be open. In fact, if there is a failure of the Heat in this regard, it is Pat Riley not making himself more available. All fans want are answers. Pat offered many during his media session. There’s no better way to quell speculation.