Butler's path from overlooked junior college player to Marquette star began with Buzz Williams seeing his potential.

The departure of Stephen Curry, owing to a hamstring injury, has already weakened the Golden State Warriors by a heavy proportion, and they could face another big setback in the form of Jimmy Butler.

During his end-of-season press conference on Friday, Miami Heat president Pat Riley addressed the Jimmy Butler trade, a potential Tyler Herro contract extension and where the team that finished 10th in the East will go from here.

Pat Riley’s memories of Jimmy Butler are still fond. Despite their reportedly contentious split, which played out across multiple scathing reports and an eventual trade that sent the six-time All-Star to Golden State in February, ending a magical six seasons in Miami, Riley didn’t torch the once fiery Heat star.

There’s a photo that Miami Heat president Pat Riley keeps in his office. It’s of Jimmy Butler, exhausted in Game 5 of the 2020 NBA Finals, catching his breath while slumped over a barrier that surrounded the court at Walt Disney World.

Minnesota blasted Golden State in Game 2, and Butler didn't seem terribly interested in, if even capable of, doing much about it

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith didn't hold back when suggesting what Butler's job must be without Curry in the lineup. "Jimmy Butler has got to be good for a game," Smith said. "You got to get a game without Steph Curry. That's Jimmy Butler's job. That's what you got him here for.

Steve Kerr compared Jimmy Butler to Andre Iguodala with his leadership: "First, he had a fantastic coat on. He's so smart. He reminds me so much of Andre Iguodala, incredible basketball IQ and the ability to communicate what he's seeing to see his teammates from the bench."