Miami Heat

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.

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.

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.

The Miami Heat are still trying to drive a hard bargain when it comes to a trade centered around disgruntled star Jimmy Butler, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.

"The Heat have engaged with multiple teams on Butler trade scenarios and have received offers but have been hesitant to negotiate further, sources said," Charania reported Tuesday. "Riley has not shown an urgency in these talks, as the trade deadline looms on Feb. 6, sources added."

The Heat could keep Butler on the roster through the deadline, but rival teams probably won't buy into that idea after Miami issued a seven-game suspension to the six-time All-Star.

Everybody knows Butler wants out at this point, too. Per Charania, he "reiterated to (Riley) in a face-to-face meeting last week that he wants to be traded."

More than anything, Riley's approach to negotiations comes off as an attempt to create some leverage where little to none is being had.

Appearing on First Take on Jan. 7, ESPN's Brian Windhorst succinctly said that the offers the Heat had received to that point "stink."

Beyond the ongoing drama in South Florida, Butler depressed his market further by reportedly having his representatives make it clear he doesn't want to be traded to certain teams. NBA insider Chris Haynes cited the Memphis Grizzlies as one example.

Instead, the Phoenix Suns appear to be the strongest suitor for the veteran forward, but executing a deal is complicated thanks to Bradley Beal's no-trade clause and the $110.8 million he can earn over the next two years. The Suns have to find a third team that wants the three-time All-Star and a destination where he'd be willing to go.

Any team with Butler on its radar has every reason to call his or the Heat's bluff. Either he relents on the wish list of preferred teams, or Miami finally blinks and is willing to accept 50 cents—or less—on the dollar for a player who used to be the franchise cornerstone.

Miami Heat star forward Jimmy Butler reportedly made it clear to team president Pat Riley that he has no future in South Florida.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, Butler reiterated in a face-to-face meeting with Riley last week that he wants to be traded and will not sign a new contract with the Heat. Sources told Charania that Butler added that he "intends to only use his $52 million player option in the offseason for 2025-26 as a trade maneuver."

The Heat suspended Butler for seven games on Jan. 3, saying in a statement: "Through his actions and statements, he has shown he no longer wants to be part of this team. Jimmy Butler and his representative have indicated that they wish to be traded, therefore, we will listen to offers."

Butler's suspension is set to end on Thursday, so the team will have to find a new path forward for him after his most recent trade demand. Charania reported that Heat officials will meet later this week to determine the best course.

Butler had missed time due to injuries, and he didn't look like his usual self upon his return. Charania pointed to the criticisms he faced after his back-to-back nine-point performances in a win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Jan. 1 and a loss to the Indiana Pacers the next night as the breaking point that led him to make his unhappiness known publicly.

"One issue that led to Butler's decision to request a trade, sources said, was an implication from team officials that he hadn't played his hardest in the Heat's victory over the Pelicans on New Year's Day," Charania reported. "Butler had made clear to the Heat before his suspension that he planned to partake in team activities while his status is in limbo, sources said."

Teams don't seem motivated to trade for Butler before the Feb. 6 deadline because they know he won't sign a long-term contract after this season without testing free agency.

The impending divorce between Butler and Miami could be a drawn-out process that could do more harm than good to both sides in the long run.

Kyle Lowry spent two and a half seasons playing alongside Jimmy Butler on the Miami Heat, and the two players seemingly had a good relationship.

But according to NBA insider Jake Fischer, Lowry slowly grew frustrated by Butler, specifically with his stubbornness on the court.

"Sources say even Lowry, who remains as close away from the court as anyone to Butler, gradually grew fatigued by his teammate's headstrong tendencies on the floor," Fischer wrote. "Currently in his second season with his hometown Philadelphia 76ers, Lowry declined to comment last week when an interview was requested."

While Butler is likely on his way out of Miami after the veteran requested a trade earlier this month, a reunion between him and Lowry in Philadelphia seems unlikely. For the 76ers to land Butler, they would probably have to involve Paul George in a trade, which would be surprising considering they just gave him a four-year, $211.58 million deal.

Though George was Philadelphia's biggest offseason move last summer, the 76ers "tried to engage Miami" on a deal for Butler, per Yahoo Sports' Vincent Goodwill, but nothing came out of the pursuit.

Had the 76ers landed Butler over the summer, it would have been his second stint in Philadelphia. The 35-year-old spent a little under one full season with the Sixers in 2018-19. Philadelphia had a solid 51-31 season that year but ultimately lost in the Eastern Conference semifinals to the eventual champion Toronto Raptors.

Since then, the 76ers haven't made it past the semifinals while Butler has been to a pair of NBA Finals with the Heat, both ending in losses.

Butler, likely in the final stages of his career, is hoping to be on a championship-contending team by the trade deadline. The frontrunner to land him right now seems to be the Phoenix Suns, who reportedly "want him bad," per NBA insider Marc Stein.

Whether the Suns will be able to give Miami the deal it is seeking for its disgruntled star is to be determined.

Details are beginning to trickle out about what preceded the Miami Heat's decision to suspend star Jimmy Butler for seven games for conduct detrimental to the team.

NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that Butler had "multiple instances" of skipping Miami's morning shootarounds and requested to have private flights instead of traveling on the Heat's charter plane.

When the Heat first announced the suspension, it wasn't immediately clear what led them to take such a hard line toward the six-time All-Star.

Butler made it clear he wanted out to Miami, telling reporters after a 128-115 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Jan. 2 that he had lost his "joy" in playing basketball. A report about his formal trade request followed shortly thereafter.

The 35-year-old's effort had been called into question as well. After being sidelined for five games due to an undisclosed illness, he scored 18 combined points on 6-of-11 shooting in his first two games back.

Still, a seven-game ban seemed like a hefty punishment. The National Basketball Players Association called it "excessive and inappropriate" and signaled its intention to file a grievance.

The length of the suspension hinted at further issues behind the scenes that hadn't been publicized. The NBPA's grievance meant that information would likely come out as the Heat defended their course of action.

Retired Heat guard Tim Hardaway said team president Pat Riley supplied a 10-page letter to the union about the situation:

The trouble for both Miami and Butler is that there may not be a straightforward way to resolve this mess before the Feb. 6 trade deadline.

The Phoenix Suns are the most logical landing spot for the veteran forward, and they're reportedly very interested in a deal. But Bradley Beal's no-trade clause and massive contract both present big roadblocks.

Aside from the Suns, another serious suitor for Butler has yet to emerge.

Absent a trade, Miami and its best player will have to put their cold war on pause until the end of the season. That might be easier said than done.

As Jimmy Butler awaits resolution on his desire to be traded from the Miami Heat, he's been tough for the team to deal with despite taking on a leadership role.

"You'd have to say Jimmy's been good for Miami overall, but he's also been very difficult," a league source told Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com. "I think it's just reached an end. It's like he's in charge; he doesn't play all the time, and he's had injuries that always seem to come up. He's not as good as it was."

"He got a lot of mileage out of being a leader, a go-to guy, a big game player, but he wasn't there night in and night out," the source added.

ESPN's Shams Charania and Brian Windhorst reported on Jan. 2 that Butler indicated to Miami that he wanted to be moved before the Feb. 6 trade deadline.

Charania and Windhorst noted that an "issue" that led to the star forward's decision was an implication from team officials that he hadn't played his hardest during a Jan. 1 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.

Following Butler's trade request, he was suspended for seven games by the Heat due to "multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team over the course of the season and particularly the last several weeks."

The 35-year-old's overall tenure with Miami has undoubtedly been successful, making two of his six career All-Star appearances as a member of the team. Butler also routinely stepped up in the playoffs, leading the Heat to a pair of NBA Finals appearances and averaging 24.7 points per game in the postseason with the organization.

Availability has been an issue, as he only appeared in at least 60 regular-season games during two of his first five years with the team and has never exceeded 64 appearances.

Butler has averaged 17.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game on 55.2/37.5/78.8 shooting splits this season.

His Heat career started off strong, but a split between both sides could come soon as the trade deadline draws closer.

While the Miami Heat suspended Jimmy Butler for seven games and said they are open to trade offers, an actual move seems like anything but a guarantee at this point.

"It's more difficult than people think," one team's head of basketball operations said in a Saturday piece by Steve Bulpett of Heavy. "First of all, Jimmy's 35 and doesn't have much value. And then the team that would like him the most is probably Phoenix, because they're so bad and they have the worst contract in (Bradley) Beal. Other than that, I don't know of any teams that would want to take on Jimmy Butler, other than teams that just want to dump contracts—and Miami won't go for that. I just don't know how it's going to work."

That is not the first time the Phoenix Suns have been mentioned with NBA insider Jake Fischer reporting Wednesday every NBA team official he spoke to believes they are the team Butler wants to join.

NBA insider Marc Stein also called the Suns "the team most interested in trading for Butler" and pointed out they would be willing to give him a contract extension.

However, Stein also said Phoenix would likely need a third team willing to take on Beal's contract that is set to pay him $53.7 million next season with a $57.1 million player option for 2026-27.

That likely isn't intriguing to many teams.

What's more, it's not as if Miami has a ton of leverage openly admitting it is willing to trade Butler after suspending him. ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported the offers the Heat have received "stink," suggesting there isn't an imminent trade on the horizon:

For his part, Butler didn't seem thrilled about the possibility of remaining with the Heat when he said he probably won't find his joy on the basketball court by staying put:

The entire situation adds up to a player who appears to want out, a team that would be willing to trade him and very little leverage.

That Butler is 35 years old also makes a trade all the more difficult, as any team acquiring him would need to believe he can still be a peak producer in the most important moments even at this stage of his career.

Given all that, it wouldn't be surprising to see him remain with the Heat for the rest of the season.

Disgruntled Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler seemed to take a veiled shot at Heat president Pat Riley on Thursday amid his seven-game suspension from the team.

Butler posted several videos on his Instagram Stories that showed him working at a coffee shop. In one of the videos, Butler patted one of the workers on the back and said, "See, I gave you a compliment. That's what bosses do. They build you up, they don't break you down."

The Heat announced last week that they were suspending Butler seven games for "multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team."

Additionally, the Heat said in a statement that they would listen to offers for Butler after he made it clear that he wanted to be traded.

Tension between Butler and Riley seemingly dates back to May when Riley said, "If you're not on the court playing against Boston or on the court playing against the New York Knicks, you should keep your mouth shut on the criticism of those teams," in reference to Butler suggesting the Heat could have beaten the Boston Celtics and Knicks in the playoffs last season had he been healthy.

The 35-year-old Butler is in the midst of his 14th NBA season overall and his sixth with the Heat after previous stints as a member of the Chicago Bulls, Minnesota Timberwolves and Philadelphia 76ers.

Two of his six career All-Star appearances have come since he arrived in Miami, plus he has twice led the Heat to the NBA Finals.

Team success has waned since Miami's last trip to the Finals in 2023, though, as the Heat went 46-36 and got eliminated by Boston in the first round of the playoffs last year, and are just 19-17 so far this season.

The Heat have a talented team on the surface with Butler, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro leading the way, but inconsistent play has left Miami in sixth place in the Eastern Conference.

Given that the Cleveland Cavaliers (33-4), Celtics (27-10) and Knicks (25-13) top the conference, it is tough to envision the Heat being a true threat come playoff time.

Because of that and the fact that Butler can become a free agent at the end of the season, the Heat have plenty of incentive to find a trade partner who will give something of value in return for the accomplished veteran.

In 22 games this season, Butler has been an efficient shooter, making 55.2 percent of his shots from the field and 37.5 percent from deep, but his 17.6 points per game are his fewest since the 2013-14 season.

He has still contributed in other ways, though, registering 5.5 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.2 steals per game, which are in line with his career averages.

During his four playoff runs with the Heat, Butler averaged 24.7 points per game, so there is little doubt that a contending team could benefit from his arrival should the Heat ultimately follow through on trading him.

The relationship between Butler and Heat does appear to be unsalvageable at this point, so it is fair wonder if Butler has already played his final game for the franchise.

Six-time NBA All-Star Blake Griffin gave his thoughts on Jimmy Butler's desire to be traded from the Miami Heat.

"I wouldn't do it that way so I can't say that I f--k with it, but I do think it's hilarious," Griffin said on the 7PM in Brooklyn podcast, a Wave Sports + Entertainment Original (1:08:11 mark). "It's entertaining. I just think because now it has happened multiple times, right? If this is the first time he wants out of Miami, cool. I get it. No problem with that but remember Minnesota. Philly, remember Philly? Yeah. Now in Chicago. You only have a certain amount of times you can do that, right? It's entertaining but I think if it was the NBA, he probably would've had to play it a different way."

ESPN's Shams Charania and Brian Windhorst revealed on Jan. 2 that Butler indicated to Miami that he wanted to be dealt prior to the Feb. 6 deadline. The report came just after the star forward told reporters that he lost his "joy" with the team on the court and "probably" wouldn't be able to get it back.

The Heat later announced a seven-game suspension for Butler due to "multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team."

The six-time All-Star has been known for eventful exits from the previous organizations he's played for, including a practice session with the Minnesota Timberwolves in which he verbally challenged his teammates and coaching staff while awaiting resolution for a trade request.

Butler was eventually moved from the Timberwolves to the Philadelphia 76ers in Nov. 2018, but he joined the Heat during the ensuring offseason despite Philadelphia reportedly offering him a five-year, $190 million maximum contract.

Griffin last played for the Boston Celtics during the 2022-23 season before he officially retired in April 2024.

While he may not be on the court anymore, the 35-year-old is enjoying watching Butler's latest trade saga from afar.