Jimmy Butler no longer wants to be a member of the Miami Heat, so his mural in Wynwood, Miami has been updated. Miami-based artist Kyle Holbrook has been painting an unofficial team mural at the building at 3500 NW Fifth Avenue for years and CBS Miami reports he has updated Butler’s appearance following recent events.
In the reimagined mural, Butler’s jersey has a badge that reads, “Clearance Trade!” He is also holding a coffee mug labeled “Please Pay me!” As if that wasn’t enough, the mural has another smaller image of Butler in which he is wearing a headband that reads “I Quit.”
Safe to say, Holbrook isn’t happy with Butler’s antics. He usually updates the gigantic mural with new players and viral moments from games but this was certainly not a positive addition. The six-time All-Star is unlikely to lose too much sleep over this, though.
Butler, who has averaged 17.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game this season, just wants to out and doesn’t seem to care if he burns bridges in the process. He already appears to have caused his team plenty of headaches.
On Jan 3, the Heat suspended Butler for seven games over multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team over the course of the season and particularly in recent weeks. They also expressed a willingness to listen to any trade offers for him and are ready to move on.
When rumors of Butler wanting out first surfaced, the Heat had made it clear he was going nowhere. On Dec. 27, team president Pat Riley released a statement that said Butler wouldn’t be traded. That stance changed a week later and while we can’t be certain what was the straw that broke the camel’s back, there was one notable incident that took place in between.
After a game against the Indiana Pacers on Jan. 2, Butler stated he can’t play with joy for the Heat anymore. The 35-year-old, who has a $52.4 million player option for 2025-26, made it crystal clear in public that he wanted out and the front office probably felt it would be for the better if they just shipped him out of town.
NBA Insider Can See The Heat Keeping Jimmy Butler
While Butler and the Heat seem open to a parting of ways, The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie reckons he might still be with the team after the trade deadline. Vecenie reports that league sources believe the Heat might just hold on to Butler as they will struggle to find a good deal.
“I have a healthy degree of skepticism that these deals make sense for all the teams involved largely because it’s hard to come up with a two-team deal that accomplishes everything Miami might be looking for. I also started to wonder whether Miami calls Butler’s bluff and rides out the rest of the year with him on the roster.”
“By doing so, the Heat could enter June with him on the books, and either get him to opt in to accept a trade somewhere or allow him to opt out and move on. That’s what the LA Clippers did this past summer with Paul George, and league sources believe it’s a real possibility that shouldn’t be discounted.”
It might not be ideal to keep Butler around, though. He has checked out and it is going to do them no good to have him play another game for them, let alone the rest of the season. It will be interesting to see how this situation pans out in the coming weeks.
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