Jimmy Butler's advice on what good 'bosses do' seems directed at Pat Riley

Until the saga between Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat reaches its conclusion with Butler's exit from South Florida, the battle of wills between unhappy star and franchise godfather Pat Riley will be played out in public with biting sound bites.

Butler's growing dissatisfaction over the Heat's reluctance to give him a contract extension boiled over last week, prompting him to request a trade. Riley responded by suspending Butler for seven games for "multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team."

RELATED: Pat Riley reminds NBA players what they 'owe' us amid Jimmy Butler saga

Butler has spent his time away from the Heat at his new, swanky coffee shop in the Miami Design District. On Thursday, he filled his Instagram story with photos and videos of happy customers.

One video appeared to be a message for Riley.

In the video, Butler walks over to praise a barista. "This is our best guy right here," Butler says. "See that, see that? I gave you a compliment."

"That's what bosses do," Butler adds. "We build you up. We don't break you down."

Butler certainly has the right to feel he's been wronged by not receiving a $113 million contract extension last offseason. The six-time All-Star was the unquestioned impetus behind Miami's NBA Finals runs in 2020 and 2023.

However, Riley has never let nostalgia and past glory get in the way of making the best decision for the Heat's future. No matter what Butler has done for the franchise, the 79-year-old team president isn't about to compromise Miami's financial flexibility with a new deal for a 35-year-old who struggles to stay on the court.

In a recent appearance on Dan Le Batard's show, Riley called out the new NBA culture of player power.

“As players, they have to render unto the Heat really what is theirs too, and while they go out there and they do all these other things, you can’t short cut it with us," Riley told Le Batard. "I’ve actually explained this to the players is that while you’re under contract with us, you do owe us something. Your collective bargaining agreement contract says that. So don’t ever take that lightly."

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