Jimmy Butler has been nothing but loyal to the Miami Heat, but doubt is starting to rise on how much longer he’ll be sticking around. According to NBA insider Howard Beck, rival teams are convinced that the Heat are preparing to move on from the 6x All-Star after just five seasons.
“Rival executives have been buzzing about it for months, for all the obvious reasons. Butler is about to turn 35 with one year left on his Heat contract, and is reportedly seeking a two-year, $113 million extension. If the Heat grant it, they’ll have little to no flexibility to add another star. And they absolutely need one,” wrote Beck. “Butler at this stage would be much more valuable as a second or third option on a contender than as the top dog in Miami. This feels like the right time for a pivot… Pat Riley is known for moving off his high-priced players before they fall off a cliff.”
Butler, 34, has been the face of Miami Heat basketball for years now and he’s helped them to two Finals appearances. With averages of 20.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game on 49.9% shooting last season, he was their only beacon of hope.
But after losing in the first round to the Boston Celtics, there are questions about whether the Heat will start to fall behind the competition. As it stands, the Heat are at least one tier below the Eastern contenders, which include the Celtics, Bucks, 76ers, and New York Knicks.
This offseason, after their first-round loss, team President Pat Riley was pretty harsh toward Jimmy and even told him to keep his “mouth shut” when he tried to trash-talk the opposition. Despite all of this, Butler maintains that he’d rather stay with the Heat if he can help it.
But for a team at the end of its rope, trading Jimmy might be the only way out and it will set them on a path that will take years to recover. But if they don’t trade him now, his trade value might never be the same and teams might not be so willing to give up four first-round draft picks.
With a market that includes stars like Paul George and Klay Thompson, Jimmy Butler is far from the only option for teams looking to make a leap but he could be the safest bet as a proven leader, effective player, and a loyal teammate both on and off the court.
For now, it’s pure guesswork about what teams might make a serious run for Butler (if he’s available) but I can see a team like the Warriors giving up some serious assets to bring him in. In the right situation, Jimmy could be the “missing piece” for any team out there and by the looks of it, he’s still got several years of elite basketball left to play.
But until the day comes when he’s actually traded, this is one scenario I’ll have to see and believe. Butler bleeds Miami just as much as any Heat player and it’s still far too soon for them to give up on a star-studded core that just made the Finals one year ago.
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