The ongoing Jimmy Butler trade saga has become one of the most intriguing stories in the NBA, with ESPN’s Brian Windhorst revealing that the Miami Heat are receiving underwhelming offers—dubbed the “poo-poo platter”—for the disgruntled star.
“This is about money. There’s side issues, there’s certain things about the system and feelings and everything that are involved. This is about money. Last spring at the end of the heat season, Pat Riley sat down in front of the cameras and said we’re not extending Jimmy Butler’s contract.”
“He has one guaranteed year left, one year on an option. Jimmy Butler wanted his contract extended, bottom line. Now he’s 35 years old. You can debate about whether or not the Heat should have extended his contract after he had a year last year where he missed a lot of games including their playoff series, but he wanted it done.”
“And once the Heat made that decision, we were in one way or another probably on to this path. And maybe this regular season could have gone differently, but that’s what this is about.”
“This is about his next contract getting paid. And you know, you could argue, and the Heat actually are, that if you’re being paid $50 million this year, that you should focus on this year. And that’s a reasonable position. And certainly if I was advising Jimmy, I would have advised him to try to have an incredible year.”
“But that’s not how Jimmy has decided to go. He doesn’t feel in the way that the Heat are playing this year he can have a great season. And so here we are. Now we have a big problem here, because Jimmy Butler isn’t going to extend with any team.”
“And so because teams know that, they’re offering the Heat right now the poo-poo platter. There is only one team that is ready to pay Jimmy Butler exactly what he wants, and that is the Phoenix Suns. And you know why that’s fascinating, Molly?”
“Because of the 29 other teams that are out there that could trade for Jimmy Butler, the team that he wants to go to, which is Phoenix, is the team that has the hardest time trading for him. Ain’t just that the way that it goes in life. And so that’s where we’re at. We’re at a genuine stalemate. I don’t know how it’s gonna play out.”
“The Heat are preparing internally for this to last past the suspension. Not because they’ve got some sort of sinister motive, but because they know what offers they’ve gotten and they stink. And so that’s where we’re at now.”
“This is about money. There’s side issues, there’s certain things about the system and feelings and everything that are involved. This is about money. Last spring at the end of the heat season, Pat Riley sat down in front of the cameras and said we’re not extending Jimmy Butler’s contract.”
“He has one guaranteed year left, one year on an option. Jimmy Butler wanted his contract extended, bottom line. Now he’s 35 years old. You can debate about whether or not the Heat should have extended his contract after he had a year last year where he missed a lot of games including their playoff series, but he wanted it done.”
“And once the Heat made that decision, we were in one way or another probably on to this path. And maybe this regular season could have gone differently, but that’s what this is about. This is about his next contract getting paid.”
“And you know, you could argue, and the Heat actually are, that if you’re being paid $50 million this year, that you should focus on this year. And that’s a reasonable position. And certainly if I was advising Jimmy, I would have advised him to try to have an incredible year. But that’s not how Jimmy has decided to go.”
“He doesn’t feel in the way that the Heat are playing this year he can have a great season. And so here we are. Now we have a big problem here, because Jimmy Butler isn’t going to extend with any team. And so because teams know that, they’re offering the Heat right now the poo-poo platter.”
“There is only one team that is ready to pay Jimmy Butler exactly what he wants, and that is the Phoenix Suns. And you know why that’s fascinating, Molly? Because of the 29 other teams that are out there that could trade for Jimmy Butler, the team that he wants to go to, which is Phoenix, is the team that has the hardest time trading for him.”
“Ain’t just that the way that it goes in life. And so that’s where we’re at. We’re at a genuine stalemate. I don’t know how it’s gonna play out. The Heat are preparing internally for this to last past the suspension.”
“Not because they’ve got some sort of sinister motive, but because they know what offers they’ve gotten and they stink. And so that’s where we’re at now.”
According to Windhorst, the heart of the issue lies in money, as Butler’s desire for a lucrative extension has put Miami in a bind. Complicating matters further, Butler has reportedly set his sights on the Phoenix Suns, the only team willing to meet his contract demands. However, even that path is fraught with obstacles.
As Windhorst explained on First Take, the tension between Butler and the Heat began last offseason when Miami refused to offer him a two-year, $113 million extension. Butler, now 35, felt he deserved the security of a long-term deal, but the Heat hesitated, citing concerns over his durability. Last season, Butler missed significant time, including parts of the playoffs, further fueling Miami’s reluctance.
Butler’s decision to push for a trade stems from this unresolved contract dispute. He reportedly wants out of Miami, but not just to any team—he’s looking for a destination willing to pay him the maximum. Despite his on-court excellence, Butler’s refusal to commit long-term to a new team has deterred many suitors, leaving the Heat with few viable trade partners.
The Suns have emerged as Butler’s ideal landing spot, primarily because they are the only team willing to meet his financial demands. However, executing a trade with Phoenix is a logistical nightmare.
For the Suns to acquire Butler, they would likely need to move Bradley Beal, whose massive contract and no-trade clause create significant complications. Beal has been recently moved to the bench by the Suns, fueling speculation that Phoenix is trying to pressure him into waiving his no-trade clause to facilitate a deal for Butler.
While Butler’s addition could solidify the Suns as a legitimate contender alongside Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, the logistics of the trade make it challenging. Miami would have to take on Beal’s contract, which still has over $110 million owed after this season, a deal that many consider less appealing than retaining Butler.
Windhorst’s report highlighted the tepid interest from other teams in pursuing Butler, primarily due to his age, injury history, and reluctance to sign a long-term extension. The uncertainty surrounding his future commitment has significantly diminished his trade value, leaving Miami with subpar offers.
The Heat are now preparing for the possibility that Butler remains with the team beyond his current suspension. While Miami has publicly stated it will entertain offers, they appear unwilling to offload Butler for a package that doesn’t match his value.
The Butler saga underscores a recurring challenge in the modern NBA: balancing a star player’s financial demands with their long-term value. While Butler has been instrumental in Miami’s success, leading them to multiple deep playoff runs, his hefty price tag and durability concerns complicate his future with the franchise.
The Suns’ willingness to pay Butler what he wants makes them the most likely destination, but until Bradley Beal agrees to move or another team steps up with a competitive offer, the situation remains at an impasse. For now, the Heat are left navigating a delicate balancing act—maximizing Butler’s trade value while managing a deteriorating relationship with their star player.
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