
Another day, another Jimmy Butler update!
According to a recently published article by ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania, Heat star Jimmy Butler re-iterated his trade request to Pat Riley in a face-to-face meeting last week.
“Butler told Riley that he will not sign a new deal in Miami and intends to only use his $52 million player option in the offseason for 2025-26 as a trade maneuver, sources said,” Charania’s report read. “Butler’s seven-game, team-issued suspension from the Heat — for what was termed ‘detrimental conduct’ — ends Thursday, at which point the Heat will be faced with finding a path forward for Butler, with options including a return to the roster or a trade. Heat officials will meet later this week to discuss the best route with Butler, who requested a trade earlier this month, league sources said.
“Heat coach Erik Spoelstra and players such as Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo have spoken in the last week about finding clarity and eliminating the distraction of Butler’s circumstances during his absence. … The Heat have engaged with multiple teams on Butler trade scenarios and have received offers but have been hesitant to negotiate further, sources said. Riley has not shown an urgency in these talks, as the trade deadline looms on Feb. 6, sources added.”
https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1879217991583437164
https://x.com/hothothoops/status/1879220753482334650
There isn’t any new detail outside of Butler using his $52.1 million player option to potentially regain leverage if he’s not traded by the Feb. 6 trade deadline. Nobody wants to do this same song and dance next year, and the Heat likely knows that.
As I pointed out previously, multi-team deals are easier to execute and more frequent in this two-apron system in the offseason–especially when the largest number is an eight-figure salary that starts with a “5.” Butler’s market appears to be dwindling by the second–especially if Brooklyn, the team with the most available cap space entering 2025-26, won’t pursue him–which would allow him to attempt to recoup value next season and try to sign a short-term max in the summer of 2026.
We still have 23 days until the deadline. Who’s counting though, right?
The biggest obstacle to getting Butler to Phoenix–the only team that’s reportedly shown any willingness to pay him (rediscovering his joy!)–is currently in Phoenix. Bradley Beal controls his own destiny, and the Suns would need to find a willing third team that Beal would have an interest in waiving his no-trade clause for! In his words, he holds all the cards!
Unless that’s resolved, there’s a non-zero chance Butler is with the Heat past the deadline–an offputting locker room dynamic. Trades get done when there’s urgency from all sides, but that doesn’t appear to be the case more than three weeks out.
The Heat are currently 3-3 since Butler’s suspension and will cap off its six-game road trip Wednesday against the Los Angeles Lakers.
***
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!
So many choices…so little time. Hopefully, Riley can swing a trade for Rozier too.
All of a suddent reports that Jimmy hasn’t told the Bucks don’t trade for me. Funny that
Part of me hopes Riley has a trade lined up and is just torturing Jimmy by making him wait it out until the minute before the game on Friday. But a bigger part of me think nobody wants Jimmy and we might be stuck with this dude. I haven’t even heard a rumor about a team that might be interested since he told Memphis and Milwaukie not to trade for him
Also i prefer Jimmy to go to the west so Heat will only see him 2x a season. please make it happen lol
I prefer Butler to go to the East ——— the Far East, like China! 😆
hey good idea…the philippines! he can be an import here lol
Disappointing.
Was hoping for an amenable resolution for all parties and Butler would eventually retire in south beach. But as most wishful thinking and a lot of good things…will almost always come to an end. Specially in pro sports. And most of all basketball. Everyone has their part and is to blame in another ugly divorce. Involved largely here is their respective pride. Oh well hope this ends soon and just want to see our boys play undistracted basketball.
agreed. This feels like an ugly divorce when neither partner can afford to get their own place, so they’re still living together while they both want the other to leave
Correct me if my memory is wrong on this. During the Lillard debacle, didn’t Adam Silver advise Lillard and agent that, since he was under contract, Portland could trade him anywhere that was best for the team, AND he would be expected to show good faith by being professional with his new team with his effort. I believe he was warned that there would be some penalties if he didn’t.
Now, granted that the Butler issue was different, in that he and his agent didn’t INITIALLY demand a trade to only one team. But isn’t that cat out of the bag now? Shouldn’t Commish tell him that if he’s traded to Memphis or other team that he would be expected to honor the contract? Like Portland, the Heat should be able to trade him to any interested team that best benefits the Heat. And there should be penalties if he dogs it with that team.
Yep. Good point.
If the heat trade him to a team he doesnt want to go to other players see this and might sway them away from signing here.Oregoner says beal has worse contract.How many minutes has oregoner seen beal play.Hes shooting 49% 39% on 3s 18 pts a game .Theres a reason hes paid big $$.Get that man here asap.Tys a one man show he needs another scorer with him
The Heat have already said they don’t want Beals contract, but would be willing to send Jimmy to the Suns in a 3-team trade. The trouble is, there isn’t a single team in the league that wants to pay Brad Beal sixty million dollars for the next three years
ok so lets watch jaime and jovic hope to get better.they are limited athletically .ty has been beating guys to the rim since he entered the league.
yeah i think the young guys are great. This team has two all-stars, plus three solid players from the last three drafts. If they could get anything useful for Jimmy they’d be competing with Indiana and Orlando for the 4/5 seed.
The problem is that Jimmy is like a used car that has been in multiple accidents, and the resale value isn’t even enough for a down payment on something half-decent. Trading him for Bradley Beal is like paying extra just to get this hunk of junk towed away. I’d rather wait until a friend’s kid turns 16 and give it away for free this offseason
Maybe if you sent him to Washington or something. I don’t think anyone would think ill of the Heat if he went to Memphis or Milwaukee or similar team. Nobody I can think of feels Lillard got a raw deal by not going to his team of choice.
As for Beal, I think he is still a productive player. Unfortunately, it seems every NBA pundit considers his contract the worst in the league. How many minutes have you seen him play I wonder. But I so want to see Butler gone that there is a Beal deal I would consider that I saw (with one change). It was Butler for Beal, super athletic excellent defender Ryan Dunn, and a 2031 first round pick swap. I would want their pick straight up, no swap. I know I’ll get serious pushback and I’d rather a different trade was done, but I’d consider it just to end this Butler situation.
he went to a good team .u trade jim to a bad team thats a bad look
Did I suggest a bad team? Memphis or Milwaukee, bad teams? Smh
No defense and $161M no trade contract. I’ll pass.
no defense who u talking about dunc lol.if u put beal on current team he would be your 2nd best player besides our centers.boston has tatum brown holiday porz making mucho dinero .if u want to win u sign him and with 4 guys on the ct bam ware ty beal id take my chances with just about any team. f the salary im talking about productivity,mickeys top 10 richest man in world,if u want to win u sign beal who else u going to sign your whale dreaming sunman.d wade no longer here
If you’ve read the reports, the reason the Heat want to take back expiring contracts is to clear space for 2026 free agency. That group includes Fox, Doncic, KD, SGA, Collins, Porzingis, and others. Don’t kill the messenger, I’m only relaying what’s been said.
I just listened to the Chris Haynes interview with LeBatard. He got a lot of info straight from Jimmy. A couple things I noticed:
In summary, it sounds like Jimmy is just upset that he’s not the A#1 star of the team anymore. And that’s fine, I’m sure it must be a difficult thing to accept your career mortality. I don’t hate him for it.
But the bottom line is Bradley Beal is the worst contract in the league. And if that’s the only player being offered in a Jimmy Butler trade, that makes Jimmy the second worst contract in the league. If he wants to get traded, he better start playing well enough for someone else to want him.
Good stuff. Jimmy may be softening some of his positions, kind of throwing things out there as he tries his best to accomplish his two objectives, first, get the most cash he can, and second, get to another team. It’s good that he won’t resign, better for us that he leaves ASAP. When he gets a little more desperate, he may actually allow other trade options where he won’t be going to Phoenix.
The problem is, once the offseason hits and reality sinks in, I’m worried he will resign and do this whole stupid dance all over agin. I’m sure the Heat would be happy to let him walk away and take the cap space
Funny how a crap ton of money turns a guy from the mud into the biggest in his feels diva.
Butler is helping show that Herro is to be celebrated for being in trade rumors literally every offseason and has fought through it and should be on his way to his first All Star game.
for real. this whole Jimmy experience has caused me to respect Tyler Herro so much more for how he’s handled the past couple years
Very well said! I am hoping beyond hope that he is gone sooner rather than later. I don’t even care who we get for him, as long as he’s off our books – permanently. I will always respect the good things he’s done, but time to move on.
double rec. I really hope he’s not still on the team this Friday
ME TOO!
Excellent write-up!
I’m no psychiatrist, but it sounds like “Little Jimmy” got his feelings hurt when:
At this point, he sounds like a crooked politician who makes a stupid statement and gets a lot of blowback, then tries to change what he said (revisionist history) through misdirection and lies. For a guy who said that money didn’t matter to him (and that he had all he needed) he sure does seem to be focused on getting max money now. All the other comments he made are misdirection intended to cover up his greed and damaged ego.
The legacy for Jimmy Butler in Miami is that will be remembered more for quitting on his teammates and turning his back on the fans and the city than the Heat’s successes during his tenure. Unfortunately for him, he is too stubborn to admit he is wrong and too self-righteous to apologize to anyone.
yeah agreed, it sounds like he’s looking for reasons to pretend this isn’t about money, when we all know this is just about the money. Just like his agent was finding stats to say Jimmy was playing hard against the Pelicans, when we all know he wasn’t playing hard against the Pelicans. To quote the great Judge Judy, don’t piss on my leg and tell me it’s raining.
I think time heals all wounds, and Jimmy will definitely be remembered for his amazing playoff runs. But time also has a way of remembering, and this will certainly be a stain on his legacy. I think this is the difference between being the 3rd best Heat player of all-time or the 6th best Heat player of all time. But eventually, he’ll get his number in the rafters.
I would consider any of these trades, if it means getting rid of Butler. Note, some trades will involve multiple Heat players. Several of the players listed below are on expiring* contracts.
Portis and Middleton*Sexton and CollinsKuzma and Brogdon*Porter and NnajiBall* and VucevicIngram* and JonesWilliamson and JonesWiggins, Kuminga*, Looney* etc.DeRozan, Huerter, MurrayDesmond Bane and Brandon Clark
Well, I wouldn’t be angry if Riley wait till summer with him on the bench or under suspension.
If he will opt into his contract, its fine with me to trade him to Washington, Toronto, Portland, Charlotte or some other similar place to spend a year regaining his joy for the game there.
Dear Jimmy–
Chartered flights to away games because you didn’t want to fly with the rest of the team? You want a max contract extension although you miss 25% of the team’s games, dog it another half dozen (or more) and have declining production? Insisting on being traded to Phoenix so you can “find joy playing basketball again? Give me a f***ing break!
Until you are traded or until the end of the season, whichever comes first, you should be coming off the bench as “Substitute Jimmy.” You don’t deserve to be part of the team, much less the starting unit.
Good riddance Jimmy. No jersey in the rafters in Miami or anywhere else for you… chump. Don’t let the door hit you in the @$$ on the way out!
Yours Truly,
Loyal Miami Heat Fans
Interesting thought on not having his jersey retired anywhere. Is Jimmy a Hall-of-Famer? He’s had great regular season stats and amazing playoff performances with the Heat, but no MVP’s, DPOYs, or championships. To be honored by a franchise is all he might get, and that is up in smoke. He probably doesn’t care as long as he gets his money, but unless you go digging into the Heats franchise stats, he will be a ghost within a few years. Crazy.
He did it to himself. Poor decisions have consequences and repercussions. This is publicity mess of his own creation.
Rather than being remembered as the guy who made Miami Heat basketball relevant again after Dwayne Wade, he’ll be remembered as the pendejo who destroyed his legacy in Miami to feed his greed and inflated ego.
I hope he goes to a team that has a high state income tax (like California) where he will actually make less net $ even though he has a larger contract.
basketball-reference.com has him at 73% chance of making the HOF so he probably does get in
No sh!t, Jimmy. Come back and play hard off the bench, which will probably help your trade value or at least make more teams interested. If it’s Phoenix or bust, then sit tight until July. I’m sure your joy can use a break.