The ugliest chapter in Pat Riley’s three decades in Miami has ended.

Uglier than the Shaquille O’Neal and LeBron James departures. And, yes, worse than Dwyane Wade’s exit. Certainly not as stunning, but far worse.

Jimmy Butler may have gotten what he wanted, but this is what this attention-seeker always wants. Butler is happy everywhere he goes. Until he is not.

Whether it’s Chicago. Or Minnesota. Or Philadelphia. Or Miami. As long as it’s all about Jimmy Butler and he’s the star of the show, he’ll ball out.

The nickname “Playoff Jimmy” was not a fluke. Butler, when he wants to be, is a terrific two-way player.

But when Butler decides it’s time for a divorce, it can get ugly.

By finally trading Butler, the Heat now are free of a whopping contract and disruptive force and are able to move forward with professionals who actually care about their teammates.

Butler, 35, was shipped to Golden State late Wednesday in a multiteam trade that kept growing into Thursday. The Heat received a quality package of players and draft picks, even though that was secondary to getting the disgruntled disruptor out of Miami.

In return, Miami acquires 29-year-old Andrew Wiggins, who is averaging more points this year than Butler (17.6 to 17.0), with nearly as many rebounds (4.6 to 5.2) and a better 3-point shooting percentage (37.9 to 36.1). And his defense is solid.

Add in veteran forward Kyle Anderson and fourth-year guard Davion Mitchell, two pesky defenders who will improve that part of Miami’s game on the perimeter and its depth.

OK, they are not Butler. And the team that acquires the best player in a multiplayer trade, which is Butler, typically wins the trade.

But this is addition by subtraction (and some addition). Miami now can get on with the rest of the season.

The only criticism directed at Miami is, why did it take so long? Why allow Butler to continue to embarrass the franchise, forcing three suspensions, the last after he walked out of a practice?

Jimmy Butler should have just shut up and dribbled
With or without Butler, the Heat are stuck in the middle of the Eastern Conference, hoping to make the playoffs and avoid a play-in game. Riley still has work to do to get the right pieces around Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro to make this team a contender again.

He has done it before. Perhaps he can do it again as one last parting gift.

Butler clearly had punched his ticket out of a city in which he said he still enjoyed living but in which he could not be happy playing basketball, despite earning about $49 million this season.

Sure, Butler got what he wanted, too, out of this trade. But if ever there was a player who should have just “shut up and dribble,” it was Butler.

He was beloved in Miami … when he was happy. An unselfish, dogged defender who played his best in the biggest situations. He was as good a postseason player as this franchise has had, willing Miami to two NBA Finals in 2020 and 2023. Fluke or not, he put this team on his back as the fifth seed in 2020 (when the playoffs were played in a bubble) and as the seventh seed three years later.

The difference with Butler’s departure and the aforementioned legends: Shaq, LeBron and D-Wade (who did return to Miami for his farewell from the sport) all have rings to remember their time in Miami.

Butler … he just moves on having burned another bridge.