The Jimmy Butler trade rumors have slowed down recently, and it seems like there hasn’t been much progress on a trade. Let’s look at the current situation.
Latest Jimmy Butler trade rumors and news
Miami is still trying to find a trade for Jimmy Butler, having spoken to several teams in the past week, but there hasn’t been any movement and no trade is close, according to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald.
The main facts haven’t changed: Butler wants to be traded and prefers to go to Phoenix, a team that is also interested in him. However, it’s tough to figure out how to make that trade happen. Other teams aren’t showing much interest unless they can get Butler for a low price or with less favorable contracts coming back to Miami.
Butler is 35 years old, has a history of injuries, and some doubt if his skills are still at their peak. Additionally, he wants a new contract but could also opt into the $52.4 million he’s set to make next season. All of these factors make it hard for teams to commit to a trade for him.
This likely means Butler will return to the Heat after his suspension ends on Friday, which could lead to some uncomfortable situations.
Miami’s team president, Pat Riley, suspended Butler for seven games after Butler expressed frustration with the team, saying, “I want to see me getting my joy back playing basketball. Wherever that may be.” He added that it wouldn’t be in Miami, and he and his agent asked for a trade. Riley acted quickly, remembering how Butler’s trade demands caused issues with his previous teams in Minnesota.
The NBA players’ union plans to appeal the suspension and may recover some, if not all, of the $2.35 million Butler will lose during the suspension.
Butler’s suspension ends on Sunday. The question now is whether everyone will handle things professionally and move on, or if Butler will remain disruptive and not put full effort into games. Another option could be Miami paying him to stay away from the team.
Jimmy Butler not going anywhere until Summer?
It’s clear that Butler wants to be traded, with Phoenix being his ideal destination, and the Suns also wanting him. However, Miami isn’t willing to accept a bad deal just to get rid of him, and there are no good offers on the table. This situation has been like this for a while.
Many sources NBC Sports spoke with believe Butler will stay with Miami past the February 6 trade deadline and into the summer. He is likely to opt into the $52.4 million contract for next season, and Miami will look for a trade later. Executives have said they don’t see any clear way to make a trade happen before the deadline, as stated by Steve Bulpett at Heavy Sports.
“I don’t know how this gets worked out,” one league source told Heavy Sports. “And I only know of a few teams that want to come anywhere near this.”
“It’s more difficult than people think,” said one team’s head of basketball operations. “First of all, Jimmy’s 35 and doesn’t have much value. And then the team that would like him the most is probably Phoenix, because they’re so bad and they have the worst contract in (Bradley) Beal. Other than that, I don’t know of any teams that would want to take on Jimmy Butler, other than teams that just want to dump contracts — and Miami won’t go for that. I just don’t know how it’s going to work.
“But all this stuff with Jimmy — all the stuff in Miami and Minnesota and Chicago and Philly — all of it is because he wants to get paid. That’s where he’s at right now. He wants to be paid for what he’s done for Miami.”
The main issue remains Butler’s next contract. This situation has always been about money, not basketball. Butler didn’t get the two-year, $100 million-plus extension he wanted last summer from Pat Riley, so now he’s looking for that deal elsewhere. Phoenix is the only team that might come close to offering that amount, but making a trade to send Butler to Phoenix is nearly impossible.
So, it seems likely that Butler will still be with the Miami Heat after the trade deadline, which could lead to some awkward situations.
What do Heat want in Butler trade?
Miami isn’t looking to sell Jimmy Butler cheaply. The team’s main goals in any trade are to get players who can help them win this season and next, not just future picks or young players, and to avoid taking on long-term contracts. If Miami makes a trade, it wants the flexibility to build around Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro without being stuck with another long-term, expensive contract.
The problem is that Butler is making $48.8 million this season, with a player option for $52.4 million next season. Butler is 35 years old and wants an extension, which could either be added to the end of his current contract, taking him to age 38, or he could opt out and sign a two-year deal worth more than $100 million, which would take him to age 37.
Trading for Butler means that teams either have to send another expensive player to Miami, or multiple players to make the deal work. If a trade happens, it will probably be a three- or four-team trade, which is very difficult to arrange both financially and to make all the teams involved happy.
Because of this, some league sources believe Butler will stay with the Heat until summer, when a trade might be easier to complete around the NBA draft or in July.
Top Butler destinations
There’s really only one team seriously in the mix:
Phoenix Suns
The latest news confirms that Phoenix wants Butler badly, but the only way to make the trade work is by including Bradley Beal. However, no one wants to take on Beal and the $110 million he’s owed over the next two seasons (Marc Stein reported this over the weekend).
There are basketball reasons why Butler would want to go to the Suns: playing alongside Kevin Durant and Devin Booker makes sense, and the Suns could use more toughness, something Butler could bring. But mostly, Butler wants to join the Suns because their owner, Mat Ishbia, has indicated he would offer Butler the kind of extension he wants.
The problem, however, is making the trade happen. As mentioned, Phoenix would need to include Beal, but there is no interest in taking him on, either in Miami or across the league. For one, Beal has a no-trade clause and can block any trade he doesn’t agree with.
Moving Beal to the bench, though it might make sense on the court, could be seen as Phoenix trying to make him unhappy enough to waive his no-trade clause. The bigger issue is that the Miami Heat don’t want Beal.
They want players who can help them win now and don’t want to take on long-term money. Beal was just benched in favor of a rookie and is owed more than $100 million for the next two seasons.
Phoenix is trying to find a three- or four-team trade where Beal goes to a third team. While it’s an idea, it’s hard to pull off because, like the Heat, other teams aren’t eager to take on Beal.
The few teams that might consider it will want a lot of extra assets, like first-round picks that the Suns don’t want to give up. These teams would also want Beal to give up his no-trade clause, something he would likely be hesitant to do.
Because of all these complications, many people around the league believe that Butler will still be with the Heat after the trade deadline.
Brooklyn not going to pursue Butler
If Butler isn’t traded before the February 6 trade deadline, he will have to decide whether to pick up his $52.4 million option for next season or become a free agent.
Butler is looking to get paid, and Brooklyn is the only team with enough cap space to offer him a deal next summer. However, according to Marc Stein’s Sunday newsletter, the Nets aren’t interested in pursuing Butler as a free agent. They want to keep their resources ready in case Giannis Antetokounmpo gets unhappy in Milwaukee and wants to leave.
This lack of interest in Butler is one of the reasons why many expect him to opt into the $52.4 million for next season. The only question is whether he might choose to opt out and sign a new deal, like two years for $70 million, which would offer him more guaranteed money over a longer period.
Golden State Warriors not interested
On the surface, it seems like a good fit: The Golden State Warriors are looking for a star player who can create shots and play defense alongside Stephen Curry. Butler is available. However, The Athletic reports that the Warriors aren’t interested in pursuing him for three reasons: Butler’s age, his injury history, and his price.
To make a trade work, the Warriors would have to send out either Draymond Green or Andrew Wiggins, along with Jonathan Kuminga and at least two other players. Plus, they’d have to pay Butler a large new contract next summer.
This reasoning reflects what many teams are thinking about Butler.
Grizzlies, Bucks out of running
When Butler and his agent requested a trade from the Heat, ESPN reported that Butler wanted to play “anywhere but Miami.” But “anywhere” doesn’t seem to include Memphis or Milwaukee. Butler’s representatives have told the Memphis Grizzlies that he doesn’t want to be traded there, according to Chris Haynes.
Other reports say the Bucks are also not on his preferred list. Since Butler can opt out after this season and become a free agent, he has some control over where he is traded. However, that doesn’t mean he can easily force a move to Phoenix.
What happened between Jimmy Butler and Pat Riley?
The issues between Butler and the Heat are all about money. After last season, Butler wanted to discuss a contract extension, hoping to opt out of his $52.4 million for next season and get a two-year deal worth $112.6 million. However, Pat Riley rejected that idea, saying:
“That’s a big decision on our part to commit those kinds of resources unless you have somebody who’s going to be there and available every single night. That’s the truth.”
Butler played only 60 games last season and was unavailable for the Heat’s playoff series against the Celtics.
Butler told the Washington Post this week that he still believes he’s in his prime.
In short, Butler wants to be paid, but the Heat don’t want to pay him, so Butler is now seeking a trade to a team where he thinks he can get the money he’s asking for.
