Timothy Rapp@@TRappaRTFeatured Columnist IVJanuary 14, 2025
Megan Briggs/Getty Images
It is no secret that Jimmy Butler wants to be traded. He reportedly told Miami Heat president and minority governor as much, to his face, in a meeting last week, according to Shams Charania of ESPN, and also said he wouldn’t sign a new deal with the team.
While he awaits any possible move, however, he is currently serving a seven-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team, which ends on Thursday. He’s expected to play for the team once that suspension lifts.
“l’m told [Butler] is fully prepared to return to play for the Heat if he is not moved by the time his suspension is lifted,” NBA insider Chris Haynes said Tuesday during an appearance on The Dan LeBatard Show (5:00 mark).
He added that the Heat have “made it know that they’re entertaining offers. As I can tell from the people I’ve spoken to around the league, the Heat aren’t anywhere close to a Butler trade.”
Charania added that the Heat “have engaged with multiple teams on Butler trade scenarios and have received offers but have been hesitant to negotiate further,” and previously reported that the veteran forward desires a move to either the Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks or Houston Rockets.
Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz @LeBatardShow”Pat Riley was informed that a face to face was necessary with Jimmy after all that went down… It never materialized. They didn’t communicate via text, phone conversation, or face to face.” @ChrisBHaynes on more of what went wrong with Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat behind… https://t.co/X2vDko1Evv pic.twitter.com/qNnVyG9sVv
It’s very possible the stand-off between the two parties will continue well past the February trade deadline and into the summer, given Butler’s $52.4 million player option for next season. Charania reported that the veteran star “intends to use” that option “in the offseason only as a trade maneuver.”
But if Butler wants a change of scenery that badly and isn’t able to get it this season, why opt into his player option?
The simple answer is that the only team that currently projects to have the cap space to make him a max offer this summer is the Brooklyn Nets, with players like Ben Simmons, Bojan Bogdanovic, D’Angelo Russell and De’Anthony Melton set to come off the books.
So—assuming the Nets aren’t a desired landing spot—Butler would need a sign-and-trade agreement to move on, though that would require the Heat to play ball (and such deals can get complicated and restrictive, as they trigger the hard cap for the acquiring team). By opting into his deal, however, he would lock in a huge one-year salary and could be moved in a traditional trade.
Barry Jackson @flasportsbuzzWhether Butler opts out and tries to do a sign and trade OR opts in and asks the Heat to trade him, Butler will need Miami’s help this summer if he’s not traded before Feb. 6. Brooklyn is the only team with cap space to offer max deal; Marc Stein says Nets will not pursue Butler. https://t.co/XvM7FGZQM1
Again, the Heat would be required to play ball and could make things complicated if they so desired. If the showdown reaches that stage, however, both sides would be best served cutting ties. It’s not terribly dissimilar to the approach James Harden took with the Philadelphia 76ers ahead of the 2023-24 season, when his own free agent market wasn’t expected to be vibrant, though Philly ultimately didn’t trade him until early in the season.
With Butler making waves already, it’s far less likely that the Heat would let the situation fester beyond the summer unless there was a truly barren market for Butler’s services. For now, however, the Heat don’t need to feel rushed into accepting a bad trade.
