If Jimmy Butler decides to leave the Heat when he becomes a free agent in 2025, he’ll still likely need the team’s help to join a viable contender, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.
As Jackson explains, there are currently no playoff contenders who project to have enough cap room to sign Butler outright next summer. There are a few teams who could create enough space in 2025/26 if they make cost-cutting moves, but none fit the bill as of now.
Even a potential sign-and-trade would be tricky, Jackson observes, since an acquiring team would become hard-capped at the first tax apron, limiting further roster-building moves.
There’s no indication that Butler wants to leave Miami in the first place — the opposite has been reported multiple times. And the Heat also aren’t looking to trade Butler, a source tells Jackson.
Here’s more on the Heat:
- In another story for The Miami Herald, Jackson examines what’s next for the Heat this offseason following a relatively quiet first wave of free agency. According to Jackson, the team plans to be patient and opportunistic as it waits for players to become available on the trade market. However, Miami has a fairly limited pool of assets, particularly in terms of future first-round picks, which will make acquiring a star-level talent difficult.
- Rookie forward Keshad Johnson believes he’s a strong fit with the Heat and he made a strong impression in his third summer league game on Wednesday, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Johnson, who went undrafted before inking a two-way contract with Miami, racked up 21 points (on 8-of-14 shooting), eight rebounds, three assists, three steals and three blocks in 30 minutes during the Heat’s four-point victory. “I’m a Heat culture guy,” said Johnson. “Throughout my career, I just want to keep making an emphasis that I’m willing to do everything, that I’m gritty. I just want that to be my identity. I just want to make an example of how much of a Heat culture guy that I am.”
- Veteran center Thomas Bryant tested unrestricted free agency by declining his player option, but he ultimately re-signed with the Heat on a one-year deal for the veteran’s minimum. He recently discussed his free agency foray, per Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. “Me and my agent, we both talked and we thought just for us was just to look out the market and just see what was available,” Bryant said. “For us, it was never about any misfortune or anything like that. I love the Miami Heat, personally. I love the way their culture is, the coaching staff, the guys that they have around each other. It was just about, for myself as the player and everything, individually, of just what else might have been out there, what potentially could have been out there.”
- Due to their proximity to the second apron, the Heat’s standard roster appears to be set for now, with 14 players under contract. However, as Winderman writes in a separate story, Miami’s three two-way spots could see some movement before the ’24/25 season begins. All three two-way slots are currently occupied, but the team also has two-way qualifying offers out to Cole Swider and Alondes Williams, Winderman notes.
[Update: The Heat have withdrawn their QOs to Swider and Williams.]
It will be super complicate to trade Butler
1. Heat are not willing to overpay stars like Ingram, Beal, Garland and LaVine
2. There are not many stars are available for trade.
Many teams have nothing to offer.
Trade Idea
Rockets get Butler, Burks
Heat get VanVleet, Smith, Picks
Rockets have to trade Jalen Green to third team separately because it is hard to afford 3 new big contracts next summer.
You have Houston trading Jalen Green, FVV, Jabari Smith, and draft picks, for Jimmy Bulter, Burks, and what from another team? These are horrible trades for the Rockets. and would cost them 3/5 of their starting lineup
Rockets need a star.
Rockets can trade Jalen Green for Tyus Jones and 14th pick, then send 14th picks to Heat.
Rockets would have only 2 max salaries next 3 seasons – Butler, Sengun.
Free of tax for next 3 years.
Butler
Sengun
Sheppard
Tons of role players
The Rockets don’t need to S&T for Butler. They can just waive FVV and sign Butler.
FVV has a team option for next year, they can let him walk.
Sillyman you comment with a rockets trade in every article posted, it’s really weird. And they’re all awful ideas. Again, because you don’t follow the rockets, you sound clueless. The rockets aren’t a better team trading away Jalen, Smith, FVV, AND draft picks for Butler, who is 35!! No team in the NBA would make that trade. When the rockets are a “guy away” from being a true contender, they’ll make that move. That’s what their front office has said all along. And when they do trade for a star, they’re only giving up assets for a guy in their prime, not a guy in his mid to late 30s costing way too much money. Just stop with your dumb sh*t already sillyman, you’re not good at this.
Wouldn’t want FVV or even SMITH, Smith hasn’t shown much, would need to be paid and extended soon. Forget that…
We wpuld probably have to seriously consider it if it was Jabari Smith, Cam Whitemore, and Amen Thompson…but the salary filler wpuld leave the Heat with too many players, unless they could move off Jeff green and/orSteven Adams…
I don’t really see why Houston would necessarily do that either, so it’s a moot discussion
Butler gonna have to be a ring chaser…
First star casualty of the new CBA…
Butler will be 36 during the 2025-26 season. There’s an over-38 rule. Add in that he’s played about 60 games a year over the last 6 years, and I don’t see much third party demand. MIA can’t compete without him. No long term deals at this stage but I could see him staying year to year at the max level.
Jimmy leaving = fake news