Jimmy Butler

Western Notes: Nurkic, Fox, Davis, Blazers, Harden

January 2nd, 2025 at 11:12pm CST by Luke Adams

Despite a report to the contrary, the Suns aren’t actively shopping Jusuf Nurkic, a source tells Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports (Twitter link).

While the distinction may matter to Nurkic himself, the question of whether or not the veteran center is being “actively shopped” likely comes down to semantics, since it’s clear Phoenix would move him if the right opportunity arises.

However, it won’t be easy to find that right opportunity. Nurkic, who has one more guaranteed year left on his contract after this season, will have limited value on the trade market and may be easier to trade in the offseason, Bourguet notes. The Suns also can’t aggregate salaries in a trade since they’re operating over the second tax apron, meaning Nurkic can’t be dealt for a player earning more than he is ($18.13MM).

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

Weighing in on the De’Aaron Fox situation in Sacramento, Marc Stein (Substack link) covers many of the same bases that Sam Amick of The Athletic did earlier today, writing that teams are keeping a close eye on the situation even though the Kings aren’t yet willing to entertain the idea of trading their star point guard. Discussing the possibility of the Rockets pursuing Fox, Stein cautions not to assume Houston will be in the mix, even though the 27-year-old fits the team’s timeline better than previously rumored targets like Jimmy Butler or Kevin Durant. Rockets officials like how the current roster looks and may not zero in on Fox as the player they want to sacrifice several valuable assets to acquire, Stein writes.
The Lakers held Anthony Davis out of action on Thursday vs. Portland due to a left ankle sprain. As Dave McMenamin of ESPN relays (via Twitter), head coach JJ Redick said before the game that the Lakers want to “be smart” about Davis’ lingering ankle soreness and pointed out that the team faces a challenging January schedule, with 17 games in the next 30 days.
In a preview of what 2025 holds for the Trail Blazers, Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report (Substack link) reiterates a point he has made before, writing that it’s “hard to picture” a scenario in which Chauncey Billups is still coaching the Blazers by the time the 2025/26 season tips off. Highkin also explores where things stand with Portland’s top trade candidates and the Blazers’ ownership situation, among other topics.
Clippers star James Harden was downgraded to questionable and then ruled out for the team’s Thursday game vs. Oklahoma City due to groin soreness. As Law Murray of The Athletic tweets, Harden also missed one game last month due to a groin issue — if the ailment isn’t any more serious this time around, it shouldn’t cause him to miss much – if any – additional time.

Jimmy Butler Tells Heat He Wants Trade

January 2nd, 2025 at 10:22pm CST by Luke Adams

10:22pm: Butler has indicated to the Heat that he wants to be traded, according to Shams Charania and Brian Windhorst of ESPN.

Although Charania previously identified the Suns, Warriors, Mavericks, and Rockets as favored landing spots for Butler, he and Windhorst now say the forward doesn’t intend to give the Heat a list of preferred destinations and that he’s open to going anywhere.

Butler, who plans to take part in team activities and do what the Heat ask of him during the process, believes he can make any team a contender, regardless of where he’s sent, sources tell ESPN.

According to Charania and Windhorst, Riley and Heat owner Micky Arison have met with Butler’s representation in recent days in the hopes of bridging the divide between the two sides, but those efforts weren’t successful.

Confirming previous reports, ESPN’s duo says there has been tension between Butler and the Heat since the team indicated near the start of the offseason that it wouldn’t be offering him an extension and since Riley scolded Butler for his claim that the Celtics and Knicks would “be at home” if he had been able to play in the postseason. Riley and Butler’s relationship has yet to recover, sources tell ESPN.

9:54pm: For a second straight night after returning from a five-game absence, Heat star Jimmy Butler appeared passive and disengaged during his time on the court on Thursday, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Butler has totaled just 18 points on 11 shot attempts across Miami’s past two games, spending much of his time in the corner without the ball in his hands. While his quiet night didn’t prevent the Heat from picking up a win over New Orleans on Wednesday, the club was beaten soundly by Indiana on Thursday and Butler was a team-worst minus-27 in his 27 minutes of action.

Speaking to reporters after Thursday’s loss, head coach Erik Spoelstra referred to Butler’s performances as “aberrational,” suggesting that he was more concerned about his club’s poor defensive play, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter links). Spoelstra added that the team needed to get the ball into Butler’s hands more to get him going, tweets Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.

Butler’s demeanor is being monitored closely since a Christmas Day report indicated he preferred a trade out of Miami and Heat president Pat Riley announced a day later that the club wouldn’t be moving the 35-year-old. When he rejoined the team on Tuesday, Butler told reporters that he was “happy” and intended to make the most out of his current situation. However, he didn’t exactly strike the same tone in his post-game media session on Thursday.

“I feel like I did my job, or what at least my job is now,” Butler said when asked about his performance (Twitter video link via Wes Goldberg of Locked on Heat). When a reporter mentioned Spoelstra’s comments about getting the ball in his hands more, Butler shook his head and replied, “That ain’t gonna fix it.”

“I want to see me get my joy back from playing basketball,” Butler said when asked what he wants to see happen next. “Wherever that may be. We’ll find out here pretty soon. But I want to get my joy back. I’m happy here off the court, but… I want to hoop and I want to help this team win. Right now I’m not doing that.”

Asked by a reporter if he can get his on-court joy back in Miami, Butler responded, “Probably not.”

The Heat, who were said to be underwhelmed by their options for Butler on the trade market, had hoped to put the issue to bed when Riley said in a statement last Thursday that the six-time All-Star wouldn’t be going anywhere. The goal at that point was to focus on the current season and wait until the summer to figure out Butler’s future. He holds a $52.4MM player option for 2025/26 that he reportedly plans to decline.

However, given how the last two games – and Butler’s latest media session – have gone, it’s getting increasingly more difficult to imagine him being content with playing out the season in Miami. With five weeks still to go until the February 6 trade deadline, the Heat front office figures to be weighing its next move.

Jimmy Butler Rejoins Heat, Addresses Trade Rumors

December 31st, 2024 at 12:37pm CST by Luke Adams

After missing two games due to an illness and three due to return-to-competition reconditioning, Heat forward Jimmy Butler rejoined the team on Tuesday, participating in practice and telling reporters that he’ll play in Wednesday’s game vs. New Orleans.

As Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald relays, Butler also spoke to the media about last week’s ESPN report suggesting that he prefers to be traded out of Miami. Heat president Pat Riley announced a day after that report that the club wouldn’t be trading its star forward.

“Does it matter?” Butler said today when asked if he prefers a trade. “I honestly do not care about getting traded, where I’m supposed to go, who’s saying what…. All of that is out of my control anyway.”

Reporters in Miami posed a series of questions related to Butler’s future, including whether he’d be content if he’s not traded this season, whether it’s in his and the Heat’s best interests to have an amicable divorce in the summer of 2025, and whether he wants to be in Miami. In each case, he began his answer by saying, “I don’t know.”

The 35-year-old also said he’s “happy” and “in a good space,” adding that he’ll defer to Riley on roster decisions.

“Right now, I’m here and I’m to make the most of it,” Butler said. “I am going to compete and I’m going to win. It’s a lot of talk, a lot of noise, which I’m cool with. It doesn’t bother me at all. I love that. I thrive at it. It keeps you all wondering, the world wondering. It’s good to be talked about. Even better to be wanted.”

Asked if he and/or his agent have talked to Riley, Butler offered no comment, simply replying, “Next.”

While Butler’s remarks suggest he doesn’t intend to take the scorched-earth route he did six years ago in Minnesota to force a trade, he also passed on the opportunity to put the issue to bed, offering vague responses and not outright denying that he prefers a trade. Despite Riley’s statement last Thursday about not trading Butler, this still looks like a situation worth keeping an eye on as the February 6 trade deadline nears.

In addition to addressing the trade rumors, Butler also spoke about his five-game absence, explaining that he was “pretty messed up” as a result of a bad stomach illness, but that he’s feeling better now and looking forward to getting back on the court. It’s possible Miami will be down a player or two as a result of Sunday’s altercation vs. the Rockets – the NBA has yet to announce suspensions and/or fines – so Butler’s return should be a welcome one.

Southeast Notes: Butler, Love, Mann, Champagnie

December 30th, 2024 at 5:39pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Heat forward Jimmy Butler is expected to practice on Tuesday and return to action on Wednesday against the Pelicans, the Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang reports. Butler has missed the last five games after battling a flu-like illness.

Miami president Pat Riley issued a statement last week that he wasn’t going to trade Butler, who holds a $52.4MM player option on next year’s contract. Butler is averaging 18.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game this season.

We have more from the Southeast Division:

Kevin Love has fallen out of the rotation as the Heat coaching staff takes a long look at rookie Kel’el Ware as the backup center. Love says he’s staying ready for whenever he’s needed. “I know I still have good basketball ahead of me,” he said, per Chiang. “I don’t think I’m an 82-game guy anymore. But certainly, just help wherever the team needs me, whether that’s on the court or away from the court.”
Hornets guard Tre Mann has continued rehabilitation for disc irritation and has increased the intensity of his on-court work and individual workouts, the team’s PR department tweets. He will be reevaluated in two weeks. Mann, who hasn’t played since Nov. 21, is averaging 14.1 points and 3.0 assists in 13 games off the bench. He’ll be eligible for restricted free agency during the 2025 offseason.
The Knicks and Wizards are playing each other again tonight after New York pulled out a four-point overtime victory on Saturday night. Justin Champagnie, who is on a two-way contract, had a breakout game on Saturday with a career-best 31 points. “I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to show what I can do for a while. … When I get on the floor, I just let it flow,” he told Varun Shankar of the Washington Post.

Jimmy Butler Out At Least Two More Games

December 27th, 2024 at 4:37pm CST by Luke Adams

Star forward Jimmy Butler remains in Miami and won’t rejoin the Heat until after they return from their current road trip, the team announced today (via Twitter).

That means Butler, who is being listed as out due to return-to-competition reconditioning following an illness, will miss games in Atlanta on Saturday and in Houston on Sunday before rejoining the Heat ahead of Wednesday’s game vs. the Pelicans in Miami. This weekend’s contests will be the fourth and fifth in a row that Butler has missed.

According to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald, the original expectation had been that Butler would travel to Orlando to meet up with the club following Thursday’s game vs. the Magic and would be on the team flight to Atlanta on Friday.

The timing of Butler’s absence is notable, given that ESPN reported on Wednesday he prefers to be traded out of Miami and team president Pat Riley announced on Thursday that the 35-year-old isn’t going anywhere. While there’s no doubt Butler was legitimately sick, it’ll raise some eyebrows that he’ll end up missing three games due to “return-to-competition conditioning” after missing just two due to that illness.

Still, there has been no confirmation from the team or from reporters that Butler’s extended recovery period is connected to those recent trade rumors or Riley’s statement.

We’ll see what the six-time All-Star has to say about the situation during his first media availability after the Heat return home early next week. Until then, it remains possible that things could escalate instead of quieting down, though multiple reports indicated earlier this week that Butler is fine with the idea of finishing out the season in Miami and intends to remain professional.

As Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald tweets, the Heat announced on Thursday that they don’t intend to move Butler for a few reasons: They’re comfortable with their options for Butler next summer, even if he opts out of his contract; they want to win as many games as possible this season and believe Butler helps them do that; and there had been no indication that they were going to receive a trade offer they loved.

Southeast Notes: Butler, Banchero, Coulibaly, Sarr, Wong, Miller

December 26th, 2024 at 5:32pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Jimmy Butler was in the spotlight quite a bit on Thursday, but he won’t be on the court tonight when the Heat play in Orlando. He’s listed as out due to return to competition reconditioning, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald tweets. Butler is expected to rejoin the team on Friday when it prepares for Saturday’s road game against the Hawks.

Heat president of basketball operations Pat Riley issued a statement on Thursday declaring that he won’t trade Butler. There has been heavy speculation regarding the future of Butler, who holds a $52.4MM option on his contract for the 2025/26 season.

We have more from the Southeast Division:

Magic star Paolo Banchero continues to ramp up his on-court work, Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel reports. Banchero has been sidelined eight weeks since he was diagnosed with a torn right abdominal muscle. However, he still hasn’t gone through a contact practice, so his timeline to return remains unclear.
Bilal Coulibaly and Alex Sarr are available to play for the Wizards tonight against Charlotte, Varun Shankar of the Washington Post tweets. Both players sat out Monday’s loss to the Thunder.
2023 second-rounder Isaiah Wong is averaging 7.0 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists in seven December games. Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer explores whether the Hornets may have found a diamond in the rough in Wong, who was signed to a two-way deal earlier this month.
Hornets forward Brandon Miller is back in action tonight after missing the last three games due to an ankle injury, Boone tweets.

Pat Riley Announces Heat Aren’t Trading Jimmy Butler

December 26th, 2024 at 12:51pm CST by Rory Maher

In an unusual move, Heat president of basketball operations Pat Riley has made a public statement saying Miami isn’t trading Jimmy Butler (Twitter link).

“We usually don’t comment on rumors, but all this speculation has become a distraction to the team and is not fair to the players and coaches. Therefore, we will make it clear – We are not trading Jimmy Butler,” Riley said.

Riley’s statement comes on the heels of ESPN’s Shams Charania reporting on Wednesday that Butler preferred a trade out of Miami, though he has not formally requested to be dealt, which was confirmed by multiple local reporters.

Neither Butler nor the Heat have denied that the star forward is unhappy with his contract situation, however, and Riley did not address that in his statement. That may be a moot point, since there’s no indication Butler has caused any friction behind the scenes, and he still has at least this season left on his contract, with a $52.4MM player option for 2025/26. But Butler did force his way out of Minnesota six years ago.

Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald followed up on Charania’s report by adding additional details, including that Butler would play out the season with Miami if that’s what the team decides, but would be fine with a change of scenery as well. Time will tell if Butler changes his mind on that stance.

Responding to the rumors prior to Riley’s announcement, head coach Erik Spoelstra made it clear the Heat want to keep Butler around.

“We want Jimmy here. There’s no ifs, ands or buts about it,” Spoelstra said as part of a larger quote. “And it’s just unfortunate that you have to control or deal with a lot of the noise on the outside.”

Reporting in the wake of Miami’s elimination from the 2024 playoffs indicated that Butler would be seeking a maximum-salary extension during the offseason. Asked about that possibility during his end-of-season press conference in the spring, Riley expressed reluctance to make that sort of financial investment in a player “unless you have someone who is going to be available every night,” a reference to Butler’s injury issues in recent seasons.

Butler subsequently decided to remain with the Heat without an extension rather than pushing for an offseason trade. However, he has been unhappy about not being extended, according to The Miami Herald, which reported that Butler’s relationship with the Heat has become “somewhat strained.”

Marc Stein and others have reported that the Heat believe they’d be in a good position with Butler next summer, since the rebuilding Nets are the only team projected to have maximum-salary cap room. Jackson reiterated that point yesterday and again this morning, suggesting that Miami would be perfectly fine with — and even prefers — parting with Butler in a possible sign-and-trade in the offseason, even if it doesn’t return much value (Twitter links). That would only be possible if Butler declines his player option, which he still intends to do, according to Jackson.

Butler led the Heat to the NBA Finals in two of his first five seasons in Miami, and was a missed three-pointer away from making a third trip. The Heat lost on each occasion (to the Lakers and Nuggets, respectively).

A five-time All-NBA and five-time All-Defensive team member, Butler has been a highly effective two-way star for Miami when healthy. However, he will be 36 before the start of next season, and he has dealt with injuries throughout his 14-year career, only twice exceeding 70 games played in a regular season.

Of course, it’s always possible that the Heat could be trying to put a public rest to the recent drama while still listening to offers for Butler ahead of the February 6 trade deadline. We’ll see what happens over the next six weeks.

Heat Notes: Butler, Spoelstra, Johnson, Stevens, Rozier

December 26th, 2024 at 12:09pm CST by Rory Maher

Although his contract situation is the leading factor (he wanted an extension and the Heat haven’t offered one), another part of the reason Jimmy Butler prefers a trade out of Miami is that he’s been hoping the team would be able to acquire more impact players, but it has been unable to do so, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter video link).

“Over the last three years, Jimmy Butler has wanted the Heat to go get him some help in that roster,” Charania said. “They just have not been able to land players. They’ve gone after Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard, Kyrie Irving. They have not been able to land that next big fish with Jimmy Butler.

“The writing, in a lot of ways, is on the wall, for the Heat and for Jimmy Butler.”

Charania, who first reported that the Heat were willing to entertain offers for the star forward earlier this season, reiterated that Miami doesn’t feel any urgency to move Butler, which has been confirmed by multiple local reporters, including Anthony Chiang and Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Head coach Erik Spoelstra responded to the latest reports on Thursday, as Chiang and Jackson relay.

“That’s just the deal,” Spoelstra said. “You have to compartmentalize in this business. We want Jimmy here. There’s no ifs, ands or buts about it. And it’s just unfortunate that you have to control or deal with a lot of the noise on the outside. In terms of this morning, this was a pretty focused group coming off of the last game that we came [to Orlando, when the Heat blew a 22-point fourth-quarter lead].”

ESPN and The Miami Herald have reported that Butler hasn’t formally requested a trade, but he’s not happy with his situation and is prepared to leave while still being professional. When asked directly if Butler has asked him to be moved, Spoelstra declined to answer.

“That’s all I’m going to talk about it,” Spoelstra said. “The more any of us talk about it, the more fuel it gets. It’s just really unfortunate that it just continues to build momentum outside of our building.”

Here’s more on the Heat:

All-Star center and team captain Bam Adebayo also addressed the Butler rumors, per Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. “You go out there and you win games,” Adebayo said. “That’s how you keep the distractions out. You go out there and win games, do it together. Like I said, they’ll handle everything behind closed doors. Obviously, you have the business side of it. So at the end of the day, we’re all a family, we’re all in a brotherhood. So we’ll worry about the basketball games that we have to play.”
Dru Smith, who is on a two-way contract, was on track to be promoted to a standard deal before sustaining a torn left Achilles tendon, which will sideline him for the remainder of the season. In the wake of the devastating news, the Heat instead converted rookie forward Keshad Johnson‘s two-way contract into a standard deal. Johnson’s two-way spot was filled by Isaiah Stevens, with both signings officially completed today. “It’s well earned, we’re really happy for them,” Spoelstra said of Johnson and Stevens, per The Herald. “We congratulate them on that.”
Will Terry Rozier be able to step up in Smith’s absence? Winderman ponders that question in a subscriber-only mailbag.

Eastern Notes: Merrill, Bulls, Butler, Heat

December 25th, 2024 at 6:03pm CST by Rory Maher

Fifth-year guard Sam Merrill snapped out of his season-long shooting slump on Monday as the Cavaliers defeated Utah, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required).

Merrill, who grew up a Jazz fan in Bountiful, Utah, near Salt Lake City, notched a season-high 20 points in the 11-point victory, going 6-of-11 from three-point range while also chipping in four assists and three steals in 24 minutes.

A former second-round pick (No. 60 overall in 2020), Merrill has been a rotation mainstay in 2024/25 despite the slump, averaging a career-high 19.9 minutes per contest through 26 games. The 28-year-old has improved defensively and still draws attention with his outside shooting — he’s at 38.4% for his career from beyond the arc, though he has only made 34.0% this season.

Merrill will be an unrestricted free agent next summer if he doesn’t sign a veteran extension, which he’s eligible for through June 30.

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

The Bulls have been prominently mentioned in trade rumors this season, but have yet to make a deal. Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times takes stock of where things currently stand for veterans Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic and Lonzo Ball, writing that the Bulls would prefer to make moves “sooner rather than later” with the trade deadline set for Feb. 6.
Star forward Jimmy Butler, who prefers a trade out of Miami but hasn’t formally requested to be dealt, is doubtful for Thursday’s contest in Orlando with what the Heat are calling “return to competition; reconditioning,” tweets Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. A person with knowledge of the situation insisted to Jackson that Butler has been “genuinely sick” of late, causing him to miss most of the past three games, and that his absences have nothing to do with a potential trade. According to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter link), Butler didn’t travel with the Heat to Orlando, but there’s still a chance he could make the short flight north if he’s feeling better.
Although Shams Charania of ESPN reported that multiple teams have been in touch with the Heat to express interest in Butler, it’s unclear if Miami has actually received a formal trade offer, according to Jackson and Chiang. Neither the Heat nor Butler’s camp have denied that he’s unhappy, but he’s also not “simmering with rage” about the situation, as Jackson puts it (Twitter link).

Jimmy Butler Prefers Trade Out Of Miami

December 25th, 2024 at 10:10am CST by Luke Adams

Heat forward Jimmy Butler would prefer to be traded ahead of the February 6 deadline rather than sticking with Miami for the full season, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.

Charania clarifies that Butler has not formally asked the Heat to trade him, but he’s “believed to be ready for his exit” from the franchise.

Butler has been the subject of trade rumors in recent weeks, with Charania first reporting on December 10 that the Heat were open to listening to offers on the six-time All-Star.

Charania stated at the time that the Mavericks, Rockets, and Warriors were a few of the teams that would appeal to Butler in the event of a trade, then added the Suns to that list the following day. Phoenix and Golden State are believed to be his top choices from among that group, Charania said today on NBA Countdown (Twitter video link).

Multiple teams have been in touch with the Heat within the past couple weeks to express interest in Butler, but Miami isn’t showing urgency in those discussions, sources tell ESPN.

Reporting in the wake of Miami’s elimination from the 2024 playoffs indicated that Butler would be seeking a maximum-salary extension during the offseason. Asked about that possibility during his end-of-season press conference in the spring, president of basketball operations Pat Riley expressed reluctance to make that sort of financial investment in a player “unless you have someone who is going to be available every night,” a reference to Butler’s injury issues in recent seasons.

Butler subsequently decided to remain with the Heat without an extension rather than pushing for an offseason trade. However, he has been unhappy about not being extended, according to Anthony Chiang and Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.

Following the publication of today’s ESPN report, reporters in Miami – including Chiang and Jackson – have cited sources who confirm Butler hasn’t demanded a trade. According to The Herald, Butler would play out the season with Miami if that’s what the team decides, but would be fine with a change of scenery as well.

The 35-year-old is earning $48.8MM this season and holds a $52.4MM player option for the 2025/26 season. Multiple reports have indicated he intends to turn down that option to become a free agent, whether or not he’s traded this season. Butler doesn’t have to make a decision on that option until late June though, so it’s possible he’ll use that stance for leverage purposes and opt in or sign an extension later in the season if he ends up in a situation he likes.

Marc Stein and others have reported that the Heat believe they’d be in a good position with Butler next summer, since the rebuilding Nets are the only team projected to have maximum-salary cap room. Chiang and Jackson reiterated that point today, writing that Miami is “not at all concerned” about losing the former Marquette standout for nothing in free agency. Still, Charania says both the Heat and Butler seem willing to move on from one another.

Butler’s relationship with the Heat has become “somewhat strained,” per Chiang and Jackson, who hear from a source that the 14-year veteran was disappointed the team didn’t publicly deny Charania’s Dec. 10 report that Miami was open to moving him. Butler was also the only Heat player not to attend a Christmas party at Riley’s house, though he has missed the party in the past, so that’s not necessarily meaningful, according to Chiang and Jackson (Twitter link).

The Herald duo hears from a source that Butler was “caught off guard” when Riley scolded him at his spring press conference for Butler’s claim that the Celtics and Knicks would “be at home” if he had been able to play in the postseason.

“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,” Riley said at the time.

While the relationship between player and team isn’t as strong as it once was, Butler hasn’t been disruptive at all this season like he was in 2018 when he requested a trade out of Minnesota, according to The Herald.

Butler is averaging 18.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.9 assists in 31.4 minutes per game across 20 outings so far this season, with a .552/.357/.782 shooting line. His season-long averages have been hurt to some extent by the fact that he was only able to play seven minutes in a pair of games that he left due to injuries.

Butler’s $48.8MM salary will complicate some teams’ ability to acquire him via trade. The Mavericks and Suns fall into that group and appear not to have enough assets to entice Miami, per Chiang and Jackson. The Rockets, meanwhile, have told people they’re not interested in pursuing Butler, a source tells The Herald.

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