In appearance on First Take on Thursday morning (YouTube link), ESPN’s Shams Charania described Jimmy Butler‘s situation with the Heat as “ugly, bitter” and untenable.”
Miami suspended Butler for two more games on Wednesday after he missed a team flight to Milwaukee. The flight was reportedly moved up after the Heat canceled a team practice. According to Charania, Butler planned to tell the Heat he was going to fly separately — something he’s been permitted to do in the past — but before he was able to, he was informed he was being suspended.
In the afternoon, Charania reported on SportsCenter that the Heat have talked to multiple teams about Butler over the past week, calling some of those conversations “productive,” but obviously a deal has yet to come together (YouTube link).
We have more of the latest on Butler:
- The exact list of teams Butler is open to being traded to remains somewhat unclear. Phoenix has been widely reported as his preferred landing spot after Dallas, Houston and Golden State were also identified last month as teams on his wish list. In the last two weeks, various reports said “multiple teams,” including the Grizzlies, were advised to not trade for the six-time All-Star. Appearing on NBA Today on Thursday (YouTube link), Marc J. Spears of Andscape said, citing someone close to the situation, that Butler is open to playing anywhere but Miami or Memphis.
- Generally speaking, the Heat are open to accepting “pretty good players” with expiring contracts if they are unable to land a star in return for Butler, the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson writes. If said players were to have an extra year on their contracts beyond this one, Miami would covet draft capital as well. According to Jackson, the Heat are prioritizing having cap space in the 2026 offseason when several star players like Luka Doncic could potentially hit free agency. Right now, the Heat only have about $85MM in cap committed for the 2026/27 season, giving them plenty of space to potentially add a max player.
- The worst-case scenario for Miami would be if Butler opts in to his contract this offseason and the Heat are unable to find a trade partner for him, Jackson opines in the same piece. That would block the Heat from having access to the $14MM mid-level exception this summer and they’d be at $191.5MM in committed salaries, close to the first apron. This specific scenario could force the Heat to release Duncan Robinson, per Jackson, as only $9.8MM of his $19.9MM contract next year is guaranteed.
- Heat coach Erik Spoelstra delivered a message to his team on Thursday amid the ongoing trade chatter, Jackson writes in another story. “The point I made to our team is get used to it,” Spoelstra said. “Get over it. This is the NBA life. This is the life we chose. If you think it’s just going to be predictable, you’re really mistaken.“
- Players also chimed in on the situation, per Jackson’s story. “It’s probably not the easiest to work with someone who’s in and out in any job,” Tyler Herro said. But Herro was sure to quickly emphasize: “We love Jimmy. We love for him to be here. I love Jimmy.” Robinson, Bam Adebayo and Kevin Love had similar messages, indicating that it hasn’t impacted their play and the team is solely focused on winning.
Rory Maher contributed to this post
Mr. Riley, Sometimes you have to lose in order to win. Put the ego down and just move on from Jimmy asap. If you get a bunch of second-rounders and expriing contracts, do it. As long as Beal or some other long contract isn’t coming our way, just do it. Jimmy is doing everything that drops his trade value. His agent clearly can’t get him to understand how he’s making it harder to trade him. So Pat, act like the adult in the room and just make the move to whoever is willing to pay Dollar Store prices for a prize that has dents in it. The team gets to move on with Bam and Tyler and the rest of the bunch.
Nope. This is Pat’s team, not Jimmy’s. When Jimmy is gone Pat still has to be there. You don’t back down to a brat. How about Jimmy sucks it up and plays basketball like he is being paid to do? Why shouldn’t he put his ego down?
If you can get rid of his contract with expiring contracts coming back it’s a win. He has a negative trade value and if he opt in for next year which he likely does Heat loses even more
Only one team actually wants Jimmy Butler. That team would need to trade Kevin Durant or Bradley Beal to make it work under the CBA. Not sure why Phoenix would do the Butler trade if they aren’t going to have KD’s production. Bradley Beal has a no trade clause. It really is that simple.
Banned – what deal is it that you think Reilly is passing on?
Pat would take any deal at this point that gets Jimmy off the books. But no team is paying Butler $52M next season.
Phoenix was always a pipe-dream.
Pat Riley has a team to run. He’s not going to put his team in a worse position, just to please a malcontent who isn’t going to be around much longer.
People overestimate how much of a distraction it is – these guys are pro ballers, and they all have a job to do. The guys on the court are going to play hard regardless of whether Jimmy is sitting on the couch, or sulking in the corner of the court. He can sit there for as long as necessary, as the Heat are going to do what’s best for the Heat – not a 35 year old child.
Poor Butler thought he still had his good ol’ privileges, like flying separately. You don’t mess with Pat Riley without burning your fingers.
Poor guys. Life’s tough for them.
BS. MIA players may understand JB’s desire to be traded, but there is no chance they want him around and aren’t p/o’d with him over how he’s handled it. It’s compromising their work product, for no real reason related to his end game. It’s disrespectful of them, their season and their careers. MIA is to blame as well. They should never have let him back in the locker room.
This trade just needs one team to help. The deal is done.
Raptors take Beal contract:
Raptors offer Kelly Olynyk (33 years old) as a center piece
Expiring contracts: Bruce Brown and Chris Boucher
now the Third Team gets Kelly Olynyk and 3 Firsts from Suns
Third Team offers a role player like Mikal Bridges or Austin Reaves to Heat and take Kelly Olynyk contract.
This deal is done. (fillers if needed)
Heat get Mikal Bridges, Bruce Brown and Chris Boucher
Note: A role player similar to Mikal Bridges (It’s just a sample)
Suns get Butler
Jimmy Is not worth the current 50 he is getting. He can’t even play 65 or more games. He gets paid more than the actual games he plays. If Suns want him they will still struggle.
In regular unionized environments when you’re toxic in the workplace you are asked to transfer or you get placed somewhere else. Just trade Butler, because you were never going to extend him anyway!
This Jimmy Butler madness is more entertaining than All-Star weekend will be.
Everywhere Buthead has played, he’s been a cancer. Get rid of him Heat!!