Jimmy Butler is “fond” of the idea of joining the Nets if he eventually decides to leave the Heat, sources tell Brian Lewis of The New York Post. There’s no guarantee that Butler will be coming to Brooklyn, but his uncertain status in Miami makes it a situation worth watching.
Butler holds a $52.4MM player option for the 2025/26 season and plans to become a free agent next summer. He’s currently eligible for a two-year extension worth about $113MM, but he recently stated that he won’t consider extending his contract with the Heat or any other team.
Team president Pat Riley expressed reservations about extending Butler during a press conference in May, suggesting that his limited availability makes it a risky investment. Butler missed 22 games last season and hasn’t played in more than 64 during his five years in Miami.
Even so, re-signing with the Heat remains a possibility when Butler tests the market in 2025 in hopes of landing a max contract. Lewis expects Brooklyn, which projects to have a large amount of cap space, to be among the bidders, along with possibly the Rockets and one of the Los Angeles teams.
There’s more on the Nets, all from Lewis:
- After playing just 15 games last season and undergoing back surgery in March, Ben Simmons has been cleared for 5-on-5 play and should be ready for the start of training camp. Lewis reports that new head coach Jordi Fernandez has traveled to Florida to visit with Simmons and check on his recovery from a herniated disc. This is the final year of Simmons’ hefty contract, which is now a $40.3MM expiring deal.
- Cameron Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith both remain trade candidates as the Nets get serious about the rebuilding process. Sources tell Lewis that Brooklyn’s front office has placed a high price on Johnson in trade talks, which explains why a deal hasn’t been completed yet. While Johnson is signed through the 2026/27 season, Lewis sees more urgency to find a taker for Finney-Smith. The 31-year-old forward has a $15.3MM player option for next season, which Lewis expects him to decline since there’s usually a strong demand for 3-and-D wings. The Nets will risk losing Finney-Smith for nothing if they don’t deal him by the trade deadline.
- The Nets are hoping to expand their international presence by having their G League affiliate in Long Island play six home games in Quebec this season, Lewis adds.
Jimmy Butler once said “the only team I would never play for is the Heat”….. He also once said “I will never play for anyone other than the Heat the rest of my career”…. so, yea lol
Problem is the Heat aren’t the team to give “thank you” contracts.. IE they won’t pay Butler the max (which he will want) to be a broken down older player (what the Lakers did for Kobe Bryant for example)…. they wouldn’t do it for Dwyane Wade.. they won’t do it for Jimmy.. it’s up to Jimmy if he wants to win or get millions of more dollars he’ll never spend.
Saying the heat don’t give out “thank you” contracts is hilarious considering UD got paid to sit on his ass for half a decade
It’s all about Cooper. Copper in Bklyn ….
I like Butler as a player. He’s one of only a handful of players in the league that can dominate games on both ends, with team skills. But he likes to spew nonsense too, and this is more of it, and likely the beginning of even more of it still. BKN might be the least likely landing spot for Butler. BKN is planning to tank for the foreseeable future, and that should cover the rest of whatever fading prime Butler has left. This worse than Harden talking HOU last year.
I agree with most of that…
Aside from a tanking team not wanting Butler…
Who better to help a tanking team reach the salary floor than a often injured past their prime player?
Not worse than Harden. But he is talking too much, it seems. I think he wants to win so bad. Cause he only has a few prime yrs. He’s just stressing. Pushing Heat to do something.
Similar to Harden in that its the player in the media suggesting he might want to go to a specific team. Worse, IMO, because there was at least a theoretical possibility that HOU might have been interested in Harden. He did after all play there. There is ZERO possibility that BKN will be interested in Butler. But, yes, he’s looking for that extension year from MIA before he gets hurt again.
They should move Butler sooner rather than later.
I think that mix of Wigins, Kuminga, Moody would be good for Heat. All 3 players are two way as Heat management like. Wigins is kinda overpaid, but if some team could turn his focus back to the game, it’s Heat.
That would be hilarious…
Especially if the Heat manage to get All Star Wiggins back in the NBA..
Jimmy would not want that. Wiggins would be scared to walk in gym.
Jimmy has to do what so many All Stars have had to do…
Suck it up and choose between losing and making one last big contract… Or winning but being paid peanuts to come off the bench…