With all the rumblings out of Miami, the future of Heat star Jimmy Butler has never been so uncertain. And while both sides have aggressively denied the trade rumors, it doesn’t mean that things have been smooth sailing between Butler and the Heat front office.
“According to multiple sources, Butler has been disappointed with the Heat primarily because Miami declined to give him a two-year, $113 million contract extension this past summer, a deal that would have run through the 2026-27 season,” wrote Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. “Butler was open to signing such a deal early in the negotiating window, but his mindset changed when the extension wasn’t immediately offered by the Heat.”
Butler, a 6x NBA All-Star, first signed with the Heat in 2019 after stints with the Chicago Bulls, Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Philadelphia 76ers. Right away, his high motor and extremely competitive attitude made him a perfect fit for the Heat, who are legendary for their culture and discipline as a team.
In six years with the Heat, Butler is averaging 21.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game on 49.8% shooting. He’s led them to two Finals appearances, including a shocking Finals run in 2023 as the 7th seed in the East. Unfortunately for Jimmy, however, he has yet to win a championship in his career and doubt is starting to rise that he will ever win a title before he retires.
With Jimmy at 35 years old now, and in the middle of yet another mediocre season, the rumors have been running wild on his next potential destination. Of course, both Jimmy Butler’s agent and Heat President Pat Riley have denied these trade rumors.
The problem for Jimmy is that the Heat could have avoided this drama altogether. Had they agreed to extend his contract like he wanted to this past summer, nobody would be talking about a trade right now given he’d be locked into an expensive multi-year deal worth at least $113 million.
But for whatever reason, the Heat decided not to extend Butler’s contract and it left the door open for a potential breakup when the summer arrives and he can choose whether or not to opt-out and become a free agent.
For now, it seems like both sides are holding firm on their commitments but with weeks to go before the deadline, anything can change. The word on the street now is that Butler wouldn’t mind a fresh start with the Warriors or Suns but neither team has shown any indication of making a move anytime soon.
The situation in Miami right now is tense and the rumors are having an impact on everyone on the team. Butler and the Heat continue to deny everything for now, but if the rumors are true about the lack of extension talks this summer, it might be the first step that leads to a major falling out.
At 6th in the standings this season, the Heat are still in the thick of the playoff picture out East. After tonight’s game against the Orlando Magic at Kia Center, they play the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday, December 28th, at State Farm arena at 3:00 PM EST. They play the Houston Rockets the next night at 7:00 PM EST at Totoya Center.
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