History often repeats itself. That being said, Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers made an interesting comment when he asked about the Miami Heat’s situation with Jimmy Butler. After relaying that he hopes “they find a way through it” (h/t South Florida Sun-Sentinel reporter Ira Winderman), he made a parallel between the Heat-Butler saga and his experience with Ben Simmons during his time as the Philadelphia 76ers head coach.
“I feel terrible for Spo,” he says, perhaps thinking of himself. “There’s no winning for Spo.”
Doc Rivers on Butler-gate, “I just hope they find a way through it.” Says he has dealt with the Ben Simmons situation in Philadelphia. Adds, “I feel terrible for Spo. There’s no winning for Spo.”
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) January 23, 2025
Doc Rivers Errs With Jimmy Butler-Ben Simmons Parallel
To some, Rivers’s comments were harmless.
He’s often gone to bat for people in the coach’s chair, demonstrating a certain empathy for his peers. Even when the Bucks fired first-year head coach Adrian Griffin, favoring Rivers’s veteran voice, he was critical of the decision. It’s to be expected of someone who’s been in the profession for over 25 years.
Yet, the situation that occurred with Simmons is a reminder that –like Heat president Pat Riley –he wasn’t blameless. Taking a trip down memory lane, the turning point of Simmons’ relationship with Rivers and the Sixers was Game 7 of the 2021 Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Philadelphia was down two points (88-86) with three and a half minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Simmons began backing down Atlanta Hawks forward Danilo Gallinari, who overplayed the post-up. After spinning towards the rim, Simmons found himself with an open dunk but instead, he dumped the ball off to Matisse Thybulle in the dunker’s spot.
By the end of the game, he was on the bench, back in his warm-ups.
The play is one of the more infamous in NBA history. Many believe it epitomized Simmons’s lack of confidence. Simmons himself has said he would “go up strong” if he had the chance to do it over, per The Sydney Morning Herald’s Konrad Marshall. Unfortunately, there are no do-overs in life. The aftermath is all that we’re left with.
Mixed Signals
Following Simmons’s snafu, Rivers was asked if Simmons could be the point guard on a championship team. Instead of defending his player, he told reporters: “I don’t know…”
“I don’t know the answer to that question right now.”
Doc Rivers on if Ben Simmons can be the point guard on a championship team https://t.co/JPR3xAQj9B
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 21, 2021
Three years later, Rivers would tell ESPN’s Jamal Collier that it was a “terrible press conference.”
“I had a terrible press conference after that Game 7,” Rivers says. “We lost. I said something — I meant something different, but it was taken differently. That started it.”
“I don’t know if the whole Ben thing was going to happen regardless, but I didn’t like me being a part of that. So your first thing is, how can I handle that better? How can I answer that question better?”
Keep in mind that as recently as 2022, he was telling anyone who would listen that his comments weren’t a factor in Simmons’s fallout with Philadelphia. Maybe that’s why he didn’t apologize to Simmons for making comments that are usually reserved for the locker room.
Players Are People Too
Sixers president Daryl Morey only met with the star one time during the ugly saga and that conversation was about his playing status. Instead of looking at the star as a person, he focused on the bottom-line; that he’s an employee. That’s the same problem that Riley and Heat owner Micky Arison have had in regards to Butler.
It’s among the reasons that Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, Simmons’s former agent, balked at the way Philly treated his client. After Simmons told the Sixers he wasn’t mentally prepared to play, they offered resources. However, they also seemed to be rushing him back on the floor. In fact, Simmons tells Marshall that he told Rivers directly that he wasn’t ready and that the coach’s response was: “Well, I’m going to put you out there regardless.”
“I still wasn’t ready in my head. I wasn’t in a place to get on the court and play. I went to Coach and said, ‘I’m not ready yet to get back on the court, I need some time.’ He says, ‘Well, I’m going to put you out there regardless,’ ” Simmons says, shaking his head. “Okay, so now you’re just trying to **** with me.”
So when Simmons says “your coaches are supposed to have your back” and that he “didn’t have that at all,” he’s completely right. After all, when most players are trying to get back comfortable from a mental standpoint, coaches give them grace. For example, this season Bucks forward Khris Middleton was medically cleared to play but didn’t return until he was mentally ready.
Instead of forcing Middleton on the court or kicking him out of practice, Rivers allowed him to take his time.
He’s No Erik Spoelstra
Rivers can’t put himself in the same boat as the Heat’s head coach. There has never been a point in which Spoelstra has seemed to throw a player under the bus. When he speaks about Butler, there’s respect. Even now, he refuses to be goaded into making nasty remarks about him.
Erik Spoelstra was asked about Jimmy Butler’s “languid” play and how to work around it.
“I know what you’re trying to get out of me, you’re not going to get anything worth while, it just wasn’t a very inspiring first three quarters by the whole group…” #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/yd2jXDWYlp
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) January 22, 2025
Spoelstra obviously isn’t in an ideal position. However, unlike Rivers, he’s not making it worse. That’s why he can win in this situation.
When the dust settles, he’ll be on good terms with Butler, whether he’s on the team or not. With that in mind, it’s worth noting that Butler could opt into his contract for 2025-26, possibly keeping him in Miami for another season. If so, the Heat can at least be sure that their partnership can hold that long.
Conversely, if a trade for Butler does materialize, Spoelstra’s reputation will precede him. The next star will come into the organization knowing that his head coach will protect him before he criminalizes him. That could be the difference in whether or not a franchise-altering talent decides to join the Heat. Frankly, nobody wants to win the blame game or be on a team that plays it.
