It’s been a busy week on the Jimmy Butler news front.
From ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reporting that the Miami Heat are opening to listen to potential offers to Butler’s agent road raging online toward Charania at Butler’s expense, we could all just take one (or multiple) deep breath.
Whether he’s traded or not before the Feb. 6 deadline, Butler has the option to opt out of his $52.4 million player option and become an unrestricted free agent. Though one former front office executive believes the Heat is still in complete control of the situation regardless.
“At the end of the day, the Heat are in the driver’s seat,” ESPN’s Bobby Marks said Friday. “Even if Jimmy Butler has a hissy fit, which I don’t think is going to happen because they’re winning, they’re in the driver’s seat man. They don’t have to do anything with Jimmy Butler.
“Jimmy Butler can play out this year, decline his option and become a free agent. And I know the threat is there that he can go sign somewhere else, and my question is: Who? Who is Jimmy Butler going to sign with? The only time that has cap space is Brooklyn, and you think Brooklyn’s going to want a 36-year-old Jimmy Butler, paying him (over) $50 million dollars? The answer is no.”
Marks is spot on here. Brooklyn has been linked to Butler since the summer. But they are a 10-15 team playing above their head and will likely be trying to #CaptureTheFlagg™ sooner rather than later.
That doesn’t, however, guarantee that a team won’t open up cap space for Butler. After all, Miami did execute a four-team sign-and-trade to sign Butler without any cap space in 2019. It’s not impossible, but the Heat were nowhere near the hard-cap. It’s not practical for most of these destinations without additional salary being shed.
The Heat will also own Butler’s bird rights at the end of this season, allowing them to re-sign Butler to any amount up to the max if he’s going to opt-out; barring something unforeseen, all indications point to him doing so. He’s on track to play 64 games, having his most efficient season in a Heat uniform and has still been impactful on both ends–albeit inconsistently.
That won’t be the only conundrum Miami will have, either. Terry Rozier’s $24.9 million in guaranteed money will be expiring; Duncan Robinson owns a $19.9 million early termination option; Haywood Highsmith and Kevin Love will be entering the last years of their respective deals, too, with Tyler Herro having two years left (becoming extension eligible).
Miami will obviously have just more than Butler’s contract to navigate, but both sides are likely well aware that the most realistic solution is the two sides remaining together if a trade isn’t made given other organizations’ cap situations.
***
To check out our other content, click here.
Follow Hot Hot Hoops on Twitter/X here!
Follow Hot Hot Hoops on Instagram here!
Subscribe to our YouTube channel here!
Let’s not forget that Butler spent most of the summer watching US tennis open in NY. Was he watching for fun or was he tasting the water and acclimitizing?
I noticed that OKC beat Houston 111-96 to win the NBA Cup semi-final game. It will be OKC and Milwaukee in the Championship game.
PG Fred VanVleet (3-15 and 1-11 from 3), SG Jalen Green (5-14 and 1-8 from 3) and SF Dillon Brooks (5-17 and 4-13 from 3).
I don’t think the current Houston team can beat OKC (or possibly even Memphis or Dallas) in a 7 game series.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Riley’s phone isn’t already ringing off the hook. For the time being (and for at least the next several weeks) I hope he doesn’t answer.
I think if Jimmy is going to Houston, it will most likely be an opt-out, then sign-and-trade next offseason
Sign and trade for who/what? If they are going to need to trade some folks, draft picks and cash during the offseason to get him, why wouldn’t they try to do it now and have a shot at the title this year? Either way, Miami could use the savings to bring in a good free agent and/or trade for a top player.
I agree, particularly with the latter. If any team, not just Houston, has a shot at a championship THIS season if they add a known playoff superstar, you pull the trigger now. And Butler has proven himself as that player multiple times.
Very interesting article on the positive impact on Miami’s offense since Spo began starting Robinson. One of the top offenses in NBA! Miami runs on Duncan!
https://allucanheat.com/controversial-heat-player-now-secret–heat-starting-lineup-success?utm_campaign=FanSided+Daily&utm_source=FanSided+Daily&utm_medium=email&sc=e0273490fd355e2c28bdb25751d41af65a4dd80936ff00a80be9866c97887955
Go Dunc….
So happy for Duncan, who has worked very hard to improve his game in several areas. This article breaks down so many aspects of Duncan’s ever expanding skills. And with each evolution the spacing advantage that he creates makes everyone around him better. Like Tyler, Dunc deserves all the credit he is now getting for putting in the hard work.
Absolutely. He’s a very resilient man. Never say die.
I love his preserverance, he came long way from division 2 or 3, g league, rising threw the ranks, coming out as one the best shooters, having over 85 percent of his shots from 3, to the big contract he threw up over. Also was out of the rotation for awhile, then reinvented his game, and started steadily improving his game when he came back into rotation in the playoffs like 2 or 3 seasons ago, to today back in the starting lineup. Furthermore giving this starting lineup the best net rating in the nba. Duncan literally been on a Rollercoaster of Highs and lows. I honestly wanted to trade Duncan in the early part of the season, but just like herro improved his craft , Duncan did the same , and now I don’t wanna trade the duncyard dog.
Yes, this article has it right. Everyone sees what Jimmy is at this time in his career. I could see a team could want him as a rental. Even though he is still a impactful player who could help most teams, that is about all he can get at this time.
It would be much nicer if we built up for one last run. We would need a big man, and a good one, who is 6’10” plus. If he was a scorer, even better, but he also needs rim deterrence.
The improvement of Ty, the emergence of Dru, and our relative health has made this an option we can pursue. I hope we do it. I have said this ten times and will say it again; we run it back without an upgrade at center, and we will be wasting everyone’s time, including us fans.
dont want to jinx things but hope this Heat team continues to trend upwards coz we all know things could change fast (and ugly) when the Ws not there. this Jimmy status and the rumors that surround it will be greatly impacted by Heat’s record when deadline’s nearing.
This year, Jimmy Butler is being paid $48.8 million. If he opts in to play in Miami in 2025-2026, he will receive $52.4 million. This past summer, he was seeking a two year extension that would include salaries of $54.3 million for the 2025-26 season (nearly a $2 million increase from the player option in Butler’s current contract for that season) and $58.6 million for the 2026-2027 season when Butler will be 37 years old.
There are few teams willing or able to give Butler a maximum contract extension for 2026 & 2027. If teams wait until he opts out of his contract next summer, they can sign him directly without needing to trade valuable assets to Miami to get him. More than likely, if there is a team interested in him they will not offer him a maximum multi-year contract and will need to enter a sign & trade agreement with Miami to get him.
Bottom line is that Jimmy will probably stay with Miami this season, opt in for next season (for $52.4 million) and either 1) negotiate a new contract with the Heat or 2) sign with another NBA team after the 2025-2026 season.
If Jimmy truly loves Miami and wants to retire as a member of the Heat, I think he will opt in next summer, play for the Heat in 2025-2026 and negotiate a team friendly/ reduced amount two year contract for 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 to remain/retire in Miami.
That would be the best for Jimmy, but what is a reduced amount? Wades numbers? Two more years after 2026, 40 mill and mentor, backup small forward role?
This could be good enough for Miami, but I doubt that would be good enough for Jimmy.
Depending on his performance this season and in 2025-2026, I was thinking along the lines of 2 years @ $25 million per year for 2026-2027 and 2027-2028. Along the way, the Heat could transition to starting Keshad Johnson at SF and having Jimmy as his back-up.
Btw, Wade signed a $2,328,562 contract with Cleveland in 2017 and was traded to Miami in February 2018. He signed a $2,393,887 contract with Miami and retired on April 11, 2019.
I have seen multiple times that there are almost no teams, particularly contenders, that have the cap space to sign Butler directly. They would have to negotiate a sign and trade to get him, meaning Miami would get some assets. However, the best assets we could get will be between right now and the February trade deadline for teams hoping to win it all THIS season.
Having said this though, I think if the team continues to do well over the next 4-6 weeks, Butler likely stays. If they go 5-2 to close out the year, it would leave them at 18-12 and possibly top 4. Of course, do the opposite and you’re at 15-15 and heading back to play-in. Quite the conundrum.
Time will tell.
Who? Who is Jimmy Butler going to sign with?
Exactly.
I m preaching that for a half of a year now.
And about the trade?
There are two posibilities.
-A random team sees Butler as a vital piece for winning it all this year , or this year and next year. so that team would trade for him to play out this contract. Lets say GS can fit into it. In this case Butler would be half year rental, if he opts out, or 1.5 year rental, if opts in.
-A random team sees Butler as a crucial part of a future, and trade for him and give him an extension of 2-3 years in the neighbourhood of 50 a year.
The first options wont give back a lot in return, and no extension to Butler. The second one is not likely.
Right now it’s all about posturing and negotiating leverage. I don’t think Jimmy really wants to go anywhere. Meanwhile, he’s getting plenty of free publicity for his new business, Big Face Coffee.
You are probably right.
I think at this stage of his career a ring is as important as $$$.he has enough $$ already to live a very comfy life for him and lots of his family.the way ty is playing might help him stay here if pat and sunman can get him a quality big before year end hes staying.jimmy loves tennis big coffee just opened here ,he needs to be a heat for life that will make him a distant relative btw
If Jimmy wants a ring, he may need to go elsewhere (OKC, Houston, Dallas, Cleveland, Golden State, Boston, Orlando, New York)? He has a center. His name is Kel’el Ware. If the team really wants another big, there are a few out there. Valanciunas, Vucevic, Kessler, etc.
I agree. I’m confused about this ‘we need a center’ talk. I believe Ware is the center of the future and can start to fulfill that role this season. He doesn’t need to be an A player. A B player level will be perfectly fine. He has the ability to be what we need.
Even C could do the magic. Bryant was that.
Agree
You guys make sense. It would be great for Ware to fill our needs. But, it is my opinion that being the rookie that he is and playing at a C level won’t get us to where we want to go this year unless we pick up someone else. I go back to that Kyle Kuzma idea. We get him and Ware performs at even a B- level, and we got a contender. Now, if Ware could blossom to a higher level, maybe we wouldn’t need an addition as much. But, again, in my opinion, if we really want to compete in what is likely Jimmy’s last year as a player who can become a superstar in the playoffs, we need to go a little closer to all in.
defense shot blocking rebounding already there.hes at least as good as derrick lively prob better offensively.if spo is ok with low seed and a quick exit in post season dont play ware
We already went through this before and agreed Ware is the center of the future and Bam will get his wish to be the team’s power forward. Ware just needs more playing time, experience and confidence. If that isn’t good enough for Jimmy, then maybe he does need to look elsewhere.
P.S. If Jimmy plays up to his potential and stays, that’s cool. If he decides to leave, the Heat will survive. I’m sure Riley can use the $52 million for a good cause next season. Either way, I still think Keshad Johnson will take his SF spot down the road.
This fkn playoff sht is the stupidest fkn thing ive seen in the middle of the nba season makes no fkn sense what is the purpose of this stupid thing
I don’t know. However, I think the break has given Miami management and coaches time to sort some things out regarding personnel. It also has given some of the newer/younger players such as Smith, Ware, Larsson and Johnson time to practice with the veterans.
The NBA Cup is an artificially created interest stimulator the league conjured up to create interest/excitement during the slow period of the season. Doesn’t serve any real purpose beyond that. It’s good for vet minimum players and rookies as the winner payout is $500,000+. Not much beyond that.
What is the prize money for the Emirates NBA Cup?
All players on the winning Cup team will receive $514,970 while players on two-way contracts receive half that.