When word broke last Thursday that Jimmy Butler had informed the Heat he wants to be traded, a report from ESPN indicated that the star forward was open to playing anywhere besides Miami. However, it doesn’t sound as if Butler’s camp is sticking to that stance.
According to NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter video link), multiple teams – including the Grizzlies – have “received word” that Butler isn’t interested in joining them and have been advised not to pursue the 35-year-old. Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link) has heard rumblings that the Bucks may also be included in that group.
Butler doesn’t have the ability to veto a trade, and the Heat will be seeking the deal that makes the most sense for the organization, so there’s nothing stopping Memphis or another team not on Butler’s list of preferred destinations from rolling the dice on him.
However, as Haynes observes, Butler’s ability to become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end by declining his $52.4MM player option gives him some leverage. A potential suitor would be reluctant to sacrifice valuable assets for Butler without being reasonably confident that the six-time All-Star would be more than a rest-of-season rental — especially since the veteran has made it clear he’s willing to make things uncomfortable if he’s not happy.
The Suns, Warriors, Mavericks, and Rockets were reported last month to be the landing spots on Butler’s wish list. It’s unclear whether that list has expanded at all in recent weeks. As I wrote earlier today in our latest Front Office article, the Grizzlies are one team that would make sense as a fit, given the strength of their roster, their cap situation, their available trade assets, and their desire to add a defensive-minded wing.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst also provided an update on the Butler situation during Tuesday’s episode of First Take (Twitter video link). Noting that Butler has long conveyed his intent to become a free agent after this season, Windhorst says teams are hesitant to give up significant trade chips to acquire him, given his contract situation and salary expectations.
“Jimmy Butler isn’t going to extend with any team. And so because teams know that, they’re offering the Heat right now the pu-pu platter,” Windhorst said. “There is only one team that is ready to pay Jimmy Butler exactly what he wants, and that is the Phoenix Suns. And you know why that’s fascinating? Because of the 29 other teams that are out there that could trade for Jimmy Butler, the team that he wants to go to, which is Phoenix, is the team that has the hardest time trading for him.”
As we’ve discussed multiple times in recent weeks, there’s mutual interest between Butler and the Suns, but Phoenix would almost certainly have to send out Bradley Beal to acquire Butler due to the team’s second-apron restrictions.
Beal has a no-trade clause and is on a maximum-salary contract that is widely viewed as an albatross, given that he’s still owed nearly $111MM over two years after this season. The Heat reportedly have zero interest in acquiring the veteran guard, so a third team (that he’d be willing to go to) would be necessary, and the Suns likely lack the draft assets to incentivize both the Heat and that third team to make a deal.
“We’re at a genuine stalemate,” Windhorst continued. “I don’t know how it’s going to play out. The Heat are preparing internally for this to last past (Butler’s seven-game) suspension, not because they’ve got some sort of sinister motive, but because they know what offers they’ve gotten and they stink. And so that’s where we’re at now.”
Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald confirms (via Twitter) that the Heat have yet to be presented with an offer for Butler that’s particularly tempting or that they’ve strongly considered.
Here are a few more Butler-related items:
- In a full story for The Herald, Jackson takes a look at why Butler’s escalation in pushing for a trade may not be in either his or Miami’s best interest.
- The Heat haven’t looked good in the first two games of Butler’s suspension — they were blown out at home by a lottery-bound Jazz team on Saturday and blew a 17-point fourth quarter lead against the Kings on Monday before losing in overtime. As Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel writes, Miami is now outside the top eight in the Eastern Conference and is increasingly at risk of an unwanted outcome with its traded first-round picks. If the Heat make the playoffs this season, they’d send the Thunder their 2025 first-rounder and would owe the Hornets their 2027 first-rounder with lottery protection, whereas missing the playoffs and keeping their 2025 pick would mean they owe Oklahoma City their 2026 pick and Charlotte their 2028 pick without protections. While it’s possible that latter scenario could ultimately work out for the best, it would increase the risk of the team having to give up a high first-rounder.
- Heat captain Bam Adebayo admitted that the Butler saga has been an “emotional roller coaster” for the team in recent days, as Winderman details in another Sun Sentinel story.
These mega contracts in the NBA are ridiculous! You’d think if a player had a huge contract, he would at least give 100% for the team that signed him??? Now if he gets his feelings hurt, he just turns it off!
Now use that logic and talk about how much “work” a team owner puts in. Then realize when you argue players shouldn’t be getting paid that much, you are arguing in favor of giving that money direct to the team owner, who does absolutely nothing. Who should get that money then? It has to go to someone.
If your labor creates a billion dollars and you don’t sniff anywhere near that, how is that not slavery? Indentured servitude.
Seriously, man, you are talking some real nonsense here. The NBA is spoiled millionaire athletes vs. spoiled millionaire and billionaire owners. Not a lot of sympathy for either, it’s the fans who actually work for a living (with the exception of courtside celebrities). Between the two of them they are going to strangle the goose that lays golden eggs, and all for ego.
Any of these guys can walk away at any time and retire with no consequences financially so they’re not slaves and they’re not indentured servants.
I couldnt care less, gms and team owners are children that cant make decisions. THEY chose to give this contract to this specific player, now they live with their decision.
They need to stop making the contracts fully guaranteed like the NFL does and teams and players should have opted out clause to them
Looks like you are starting to understand how the economy works…
Once you hit a point you don’t work hard, the money does all the work for you…
It’s how certain nepo babies survive multiple business failures and end up a head of state…
Holding made the mist sense for everyone, including Jimmy, who would have been paid eventually…I see no trade scenario that makes sense for multiple reasons
If Memphis wants to send over Jaren Jackson jr, Marcus Smart, GG Jackson, 2028 1st and 2030 1st, go ahead lol…you’re not doing that either, and where does that leave you anyway?
This was all created by media bs, by people like windhorst, Bill Simmons, SAS, Kendrick Perkins and all the other clowns that salivate at the possibility of the Heat facing some sort of demise, as they have for the last 15 years…
The Heat are arguably better off letting him leave for nothing than making another terrible trade, on top of the Rozier deal from last year
Excellent take. Other than Beal/Suns I cant think of any team that might get better by adding Jimmy when you consider who they have to give up.
“all the other clowns that salivate at the possibility of the Heat facing some sort of demise, as they have for the last 15 years…”
Same applies to Curry-haters who said the dynasty was over in 2019 when KD left!
There isn’t a “possibility of the Heat facing some sort of demise”
It’s happening.
They’re kinda like the Bulls with better P.R at this point.
Don’t bite the hand that feeds you..
IMO
3 key factors to consider
1. The only team Butler wants to play next season is Suns. The only team will give Butler max contract is Suns. Butler hint: “I hold the cards”
2. Suns bench Beal because Suns want Beal to know they don’t want him. Beal Said: “I hold the cards,”
3. Heat will not take back Beal contract. Heat hint: ” We hold the cards”.
Most reporters believe that the Pistons will help Suns to take on Beal contract. Reporters are insane.
You’re absolutely correct. There is zero chance the Pistons will take the Beal contract. He’s not a bad player, although he has injury problems, but his contract is just too much to .
Why would Beal not use his no trade clause to stop a trade to the Pistons?
Because the Pistons are a rising team, and he doesn’t have to worry about the front office or KD stabbing him in the back.
What about New Orleans or Atlanta as possible destinations? Maybe the Nets or the Raptors as facilitating 3rd or 4th teams?
Now I know the Pelicans have made some dumb moves but this is over the top
New Orleans trade Ingram and Zion for Butler and Rozier plus picks…is this a possibility?
It’s not fascinating the team that wants Butler the most is the one that will be the hardest, because it’s not a coincidence, in fact it figured to be the case. PHX, over recent years, has been the most aggressive team in making trades to acquire stars regardless of the future assets required to do it. It only makes sense that they’d now be the team most wanting to acquire Butler, as well as the team worst positioned to do it.
The team most willing to throw money at often injured past their prime players is interested in Butler?
Well some people never learn their lessons…
Damn, I hope he ends up on vet minimum for one season next year or in China.
The Miami Herald article (linked in this MLBTR post) does a better and more thorough job breaking it all down than any sports website or publication.
Jimmy thinking he has any levarage in this situation is funny, he is only making things harder for himself. Not only he wants to make more money than what he is worth he want specific teams to offer him that money…
Agreed. Him saying he doesn’t want to go to Memphis shows winning is not a priority.
Money
If all the information I read is true, Butler is unwise
Heat want wins. You don’t trade luxury tax to Heat. You don’t
Butler is only worth 2 years $70 million
Suns will pay him 2 years $113 million
If Heat take Beal contract
What does it mean?
Suns trade future luxury tax to Heat
Why would Miami want Beal?
He’s gonna be the one losing…
He keeps his antics up, Riley will just continue to suspend him without pay…
No one is paying a 35 year old part timer max money in this era, Jimmy is overvalued by the Heat on the trade market and his contract is tradeable for like 10 guys in the league….hes gonna be in Miami all year and then opt into his 52 mil option and get traded then, all these articles are just filler that will lead to nothing
Well I just hope that the Heat do the right thing and trade Jimmy wherever it is that his heart desires. For all that he’s done for the franchise. It shouldn’t matter if the players and picks that they take back don’t make sense for their roster construction or future.
The Heat don’t owe anything to Jimmy other than what is in his contract. He’s making $48 million to play basketball this year, and he has decided that isn’t enough. I don’t think the Heat owe him anything else.
He’s making light that the heat and heat fans tried to bully blazers into taking a crappy package to do right by dame
Here’s the heats chance to do right by jimmy by trading him to the suns even if they don’t need or want Bradley Beal and his contract!
This was exactly the point. The Heat fans and sportswriters were obnoxiously making these same points when they wanted Dame. Didn’t matter if what they were giving back made sense with current roster construction, contracts and associated timelines along with their future plans for the roster.
All we heard was that Portland should do right by Dame and that their trade package was the greatest, even though we already had a million guards in the roster.
I’m just sitting back and enjoying watching the Heat now go through the same thing and ironically they are trying to do right by the Heat franchise and not Jimmy.
ok buddy – doesn’t Butler owe the franchise to honor his contract? It is a two-way document.
The franchise owed respect to Butler too, and Pat Riley failed that already
Ultimately this is on Riley. He needs to remember that this isn’t the 90’s or 00’s and you can’t strong arm your players into submission. That worked back when Stern was still in charge, but Silver has swung the pendulum too far the other way.
Exactly what has he done for the franchise? 5 and a half seasons, injury shortened in most, 2 of those seasons with down-ballot MVP votes, zero rings – while costing the team over $230m (not including his $52m option next year).
That’s not the resume of someone who the team should voluntarily take less, to accommodate out the door.
These sport writers just throw teams out there pretending a team can take Butler. Warriors, Suns, and Mavs do not have any payroll flexibility to trade for Butler. He will end up not being traded.
Why do you always speak in absolutes?
It’s an odd habit.
Odd is when you troll people on line and then thumb up you own comment. Time to mute the troll.
Butler isn’t serious. Been a fan of his since forever but to not re up with the grizz if they trade for you???? Mimd boggling to me. He wouldn’t stay with the bucks either? I’d laugh if he’s sent to pistons or wiz..
Butler hasn’t got a choice in the matter…
Whatever team gives Riley the best salary dump option will get Butler…
That’s plain to see
Id keep an eye out on Clippers, they were willing to ink PG w/out the 4th year so if Jimmy was to match the 2/100 left on Kawahi in the summer I could see them in
Powell
Jones Jr
Tucker
Batum
Hyland
works for
Jimmy Jrich Burks …. Clips have their 2030 pick and 2031 swap avail if need be
#FreeJimmy
Ah Jimmy Butler…
Will be playing in China with Boban soon…
Trade him to a lottery team, even for nothing, and Heat move on to the season, to fight to keep their picks.
If he doesn’t accept a trade other than PHX, and doing this puts his current team in a worse position, the buyout is a possibility.
As he has the right to play where he thinks is a better situation, which he has, the Heat have the right not to go against their own interests, which a Beal trade, taking a multi-year maximum salary cap hit, is, in the context of the new CBA.
Butler for Ben Simmons straight up, and then Brooklyn flips him to PHX for Nurkic, Grayson Allen, Okogie and 2031 first and any second rounded they have available to trade.
Miami ask Suns for Devin Booker for Butler. If they want Jimmy that bad.
Or
Miami ask for Kevin Durant plus a Pick for Butler.
Play poker my man.
Butler for Ingram at this point…
On one hand I can’t fathom why MKE would have any interest in Butler, or there being a legitimate path to making a deal for him.
On the other hand, they sent Holiday packing for Lillard, so if there is a way to scrape up enough salary (from anyone not named Dame or Giannis-who needs a bench anyway), and picks (if they even have any they can ship out) they’ll do it.