Jimmy Butler has been suspended by the Miami Heat for the second time in just three weeks, which adds to the possibility that his time with the franchise may be coming to an end.
The latest suspension, which will last two games, was issued due to what the Heat described as a “continued pattern of disregard of team rules, insubordinate conduct, and conduct detrimental to the team,” including missing the team’s flight to Milwaukee earlier in the day. The Heat were scheduled to play the Bucks on Thursday and Brooklyn on Saturday.
The earliest Butler could return to play for the Heat is Monday, when they play Orlando at home, but that will depend on whether he is still on the roster, which is uncertain.
Butler’s Request for a Trade
In recent weeks, Butler has told the Heat that he wants a trade, though he has not made the request public due to league rules. Players who publicly request a trade risk a fine of up to $150,000. However, the Heat disclosed this request when they suspended him in early January for conduct detrimental to the team, and they mentioned at the time that they would try to accommodate his trade request.
The NBA trade deadline is set for February 6.
Previous Suspension and Butler’s Return
Earlier this month, Butler was suspended for seven games, which caused him to lose around $2.4 million in salary. He returned to play last week and has participated in the last three games, averaging 13.0 points in 29.3 minutes.
Missing the Flight and Possible Conflicts
The Heat’s flight to Milwaukee left around 2:15 p.m. Wednesday, which was earlier than usual, and it’s unclear whether that was a factor in Butler missing the flight. The dates for this road trip overlap with a padel tournament in Miami where Butler is listed as an honorary chairman and co-captain.
Jimmy Butler stands on the ground in the 2nd half
His coffee company, Big Face, is also involved in the event. However, it’s unknown if Butler intended to attend this event in Miami or if it was related to his absence from the flight.
Issues Leading to Butler’s Fractured Relationship with the Heat
Butler’s potential departure from the Heat has been building for weeks, if not months. The main issue appears to be money—he is eligible for a two-year, $113 million extension, but the Heat have not offered this deal, likely because he has missed about 25% of the team’s games since joining in 2019.
In addition to the money issue, Butler has expressed dissatisfaction with his new role in the Heat offense. He has not participated in his usual way during the introduction of the team starters for the last three games, and has been seen sitting alone at times during timeouts, not engaging with his teammates during huddles.
Butler Comments on the Situation
“There was a lot said by everybody, except for me, to tell you the truth,” Butler said after his first game back from suspension. “We’ll let people keep talking… The whole truth will come out.”
Possible Trade to Phoenix
The latest development in Butler’s situation comes just after Phoenix made a trade with Utah to acquire three first-round draft picks, which they are expected to use in another trade—possibly for Butler. A trade to Phoenix would be complex and likely involve multiple teams to make all the parts fit.
Butler’s potential trade has been a topic for weeks, and his hair color during some December games coincidentally matched the primary colors of Phoenix, Dallas, Golden State, and Houston—the four teams most mentioned as potential trade partners for Miami.
For Tuesday’s game against Portland, Butler wore shoes with an orange tint, which matched the Suns’ color scheme.
The Miami Heat have decided to suspend Jimmy Butler for two games after he missed a team flight, as reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Butler missed the team’s Wednesday flight as they were heading to Milwaukee for a Thursday game against the Bucks. Although Butler had planned to meet the team for the game, he will now be suspended for both the Bucks game and the Saturday game against the Brooklyn Nets.
Second Suspension of the Season
This suspension marks the second time this season Butler has been disciplined. Previously, on January 3, the Heat suspended him for seven games due to “multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team.”
Jimmy Butler (NBA)
Butler’s Trade Request and Comments
Before his first suspension, Butler made it clear that he wanted a change. On January 1, he stated, “I want to see me get my joy back from playing basketball and wherever that may be, we’ll find out pretty soon.” He expressed his desire to be dominant and help his team win but mentioned that he wasn’t currently achieving that.
Team’s Response
Following reports of Butler wanting to leave, Heat president Pat Riley denied trade talks in December, saying, “we are not trading Jimmy Butler.” However, after Butler’s first suspension, the Heat’s position shifted, and they stated, “we will listen to offers.”
The Phoenix Suns have traded their 2031 first-round pick to the Utah Jazz and in return, they received first-round picks from the Jazz in 2025, 2027, and 2029.
This trade gives the Suns three more draft picks, which gives them more assets as the trade deadline approaches on February 6. The Suns, currently at a 21-21 record, are looking to strengthen their team and take advantage of the prime years of stars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. They are reportedly interested in acquiring Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat, who has asked for a trade.
Jimmy Butler shoots in the 1st half
Details of the Trade
The Jazz, who previously traded players like Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, have multiple picks in the 2025, 2027, and 2029 drafts. The Suns will receive the lowest first-round pick from the Jazz, Timberwolves, and Cavaliers for each of those years.
In 2025, the Suns are expected to get one of the last picks in the first round since the Cavaliers have the best record in the league at 36-6. The picks for 2027 and 2029 are harder to predict, but the Jazz are confident enough in the value of Phoenix’s 2031 pick to make the deal.
Jazz’s Stockpile of Draft Picks
After this trade, the Jazz now have 11 first-round picks over the next seven years, including the Suns’ 2031 pick, which is unprotected.
Jimmy Butler made his return to the court after serving a seven-game suspension, playing in the Miami Heat’s 133-113 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Friday night. After the game, he spoke about his situation with the Heat, saying that he and the team “are where we are” as the trade deadline approaches.
“But we are where we are,” Butler said after scoring 18 points in 33 minutes of play. “I guess it’s basketball at this point. I know what I’m expected to do while I’m here and try to do that to the best of my ability.”
Butler’s situation remains unchanged since the suspension—he still wants a trade, and the Heat have yet to find a suitable deal. Although he was back in the starting lineup and played well in his return, his relationship with the team remains tense as the Feb. 6 trade deadline draws near.
Butler’s return marked a contrast to his usual form. He finished the game with 18 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and a turnover, going 7-for-15 from the field. But he didn’t seem to have the same impact he usually does for the Heat. Butler’s average touch length was 2.75 seconds, his lowest since joining the Heat, and he averaged only 1.6 dribbles per touch, his second-lowest this season.
Heat center Bam Adebayo acknowledged Butler’s return, saying, “We know what Jimmy’s capable of, so it’s no shock that he found his rhythm at some point.” Adebayo believes that Butler will continue to find his rhythm and contribute to the team’s efforts going forward.
Jimmy Butler goes to the basket in the 1st half
When asked about Butler’s effort level after the game, Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra focused more on the team’s poor defense against the Nuggets and reigning MVP Nikola Jokic. Jokic had 24 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists in the game. Spoelstra said, “From a defensive standpoint, it was not good enough, and that’s three straight games now.”
Spoelstra reiterated his focus on preparing the team for success, despite the current turmoil. “We’re in an unusual place right now, but really all it is is complex,” Spoelstra explained before the game. “We work in a league of complexity, and we fully plan on operating within this complexity.”
Butler’s status remains a big topic for the Heat as the trade deadline nears. When asked if the situation could be fixed or if he was still looking for his “joy,” Butler declined to comment. When asked about the possibility of still being with the Heat on February 7, he smiled and said, “We’re playing a lot of ‘what-ifs,’ ain’t we? I’m going to hoop.”
Sources indicate that the Heat are trying to accommodate Butler’s trade request, but they are seeking a deal that includes players who can help the team win now, draft picks, short-term salary relief, and young talent. So far, no such deal has materialized, and it remains uncertain if one will be made before the deadline.
Despite the trade drama, Butler emphasized that he has no issues with his teammates. “It felt good to get out there and compete and actually run around with these guys,” Butler said after the game.
“As much as everybody may think, I don’t got a problem with these guys. These guys are cool. They’re my friends… My beef is not with them and never will be. Never has been. But it did feel good to get out there and play some basketball.”
Butler’s return marks the continuation of the Heat’s complex situation, as the team looks to handle the trade drama while preparing for the second half of the season.
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.
Jimmy Butler and Paul Reed in the 1st half
“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.
Jimmy Butler reacts after scoring
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.
Fans hold up a portrait of Jimmy Butler in the 2nd half
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.
For the 119th time since Jimmy Butler joined the Miami Heat, the team played a game without him.
This time was different. And it went terribly for Miami.
Butler is out, suspended for seven games by the Heat due to what they called conduct harmful to the team. He probably won’t play for Miami again. The suspension began on Saturday when the Heat played the Utah Jazz, and the team says it will honor his wishes and look for a trade.
The first game without Butler was a disaster: The Jazz, who had a 7-25 record going into the game, took a 43-point lead and ended up winning 136-100. They out-rebounded Miami 57-32, and the game wasn’t even close.
“It’s disappointing when you see the organization and a player going head-to-head like that,” Heat captain Bam Adebayo said after the team’s practice on Saturday. “But the rest of us got to figure out how to win games.”
They didn’t figure it out on Saturday. Not at all.
Before this game, they hadn’t lost by more than 19 points all season. This loss was by 36, making it the sixth-largest home loss in the team’s history.
“I don’t think we make any excuses for this,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “We just took it on the chin and we have to get to work.”
Butler hasn’t spoken publicly about his suspension. The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) defended him hours after the Heat announced the suspension on Friday, saying the team’s actions were “excessive and inappropriate.”
The suspension could cost Butler around $2.4 million from his $48.8 million salary this season. “It’s none of our business,” Adebayo said. “It’s for Jimmy and for the management to handle.” How things will be handled and when is uncertain.
Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler and center Bam Adebayo, left, are introduced before an NBA basketball game
With Butler gone, the Heat had a new starting lineup: Miami started the game with Terry Rozier, Tyler Herro, Haywood Highsmith, Nikola Jovic, and Adebayo.
Butler’s locker is still the way he left it—his shower shoes against the drawer, some things hanging on hooks, and a few items taped to the wall. It will be cleaned out eventually, but for now, he is still technically part of the team.
“We’re just going to focus on tonight,” Spoelstra said before the game. “I want to quiet all the distractions. Enough has been said. We have clarity. We’re just going to focus on this group in the locker room. That’s what I want them to focus on and quiet the noise as much as possible. I
’m not a clickbait type of coach, so you’re not going to get anything else really from me. We have a task to do.”
Utah will face Miami twice during Butler’s suspension, with the Heat playing in Salt Lake City on Thursday. Jazz coach Will Hardy knows that even without Butler, Spoelstra will keep his team’s style the same.
“They have a consistency in their program from a competitive standpoint that you know that it doesn’t matter who plays,” Hardy said. “You come here, you play Miami in your building, it’s going to be 48 minutes of highly competitive, physical basketball. Spo has shown that the entire time he’s been in Miami.”
Trading Butler could be tough in today’s NBA, as the collective bargaining agreement limits how teams can trade players. It’s possible, but not certain. Miami could also just let Butler leave as a free agent this summer, which would open up other options for them to get new players before next season.
“It sucks to see that he won’t be around,” Rozier said.
Butler played 380 games with the Heat, including playoffs, averaging 21.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.7 assists. As of Saturday, since Butler joined the team, Miami won 59.7% of the games he played (227-153), but only won 49.2% of the games he missed (58-60).
Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks
Last summer, Butler became eligible for a two-year, $113 million extension, but the Heat didn’t offer it. This was partly because Butler had missed about one-quarter of the team’s games during his time in Miami.
Not offering him such a large sum of money led to problems. The tension boiled over this week. Butler didn’t play in the fourth quarters of Miami’s games on Wednesday and Thursday; sometimes he just stood in the corner on offense, almost like he wasn’t involved.
“I feel like he came to work, he tried to perform, and it just didn’t go his way,” Adebayo said. “I feel like he didn’t want to be in the corner. But like I said, we developed a system where we play around everybody, and we just had to figure out how to incorporate him. But after what happened yesterday, we’re focused on who’s with us now.”
After the second game earlier in the week, Butler said, when asked if he thought he could enjoy playing again in Miami, “probably not.”
Those two words may have been his last official act as a member of the Heat. Just a week ago, Miami wasn’t interested in trading Butler, but hearing him say he didn’t want to be on the team anymore clearly changed things.
Jimmy Butler says he needs to find joy in playing basketball again. When asked if he can find that joy in Miami, his answer was short: “Probably not.”
The relationship between Butler and the Miami Heat seems to have gotten worse recently. The Heat lost to Indiana 128-115 on Thursday night, with Butler scoring just nine points and not playing a single second in the fourth quarter for the second game in a row. He also didn’t play in the fourth quarter in the previous game against New Orleans.
“What do I want to see happen? I want to see me get my joy back from playing basketball, wherever that may be — we’ll find out here pretty soon,” Butler said.
“I want to get my joy back. I’m happy here, off the court, but I want to be back to somewhere dominant. I want to hoop and I want to help this team win. Right now, I’m not doing that.”
It’s unclear what will happen next for Butler and the Heat. The team doesn’t have practice on Friday and will host Utah on Saturday.
After Butler’s postgame comments on Thursday, ESPN reported that Butler has “indicated” to the Heat that he wants to be traded.
Fans hold up a portrait of Jimmy Butler in the 2nd half
However, Butler hasn’t said anything publicly about wanting to leave. The network also reported on Christmas Day that Butler would prefer a trade by the Feb. 6 deadline. This has led the Heat to take the unusual step of saying they won’t trade him.
Thursday’s game was unusual for Butler. He spent most of his offensive possessions in the corner and only took six shots in 27 minutes of play, following a game where he took just five shots. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra tried to get Butler more involved by making him the point guard during parts of the third quarter, but it didn’t work.
“Obviously he’s frustrated, because he’s standing on the corner,” Heat captain Bam Adebayo said. “So, he’s got a lot of things going on in his corner. For us, we keep the main thing the main thing like our coach always tells us. We play to win and that’s what it’s all about.”
Butler said he was focused and did what was expected of him Thursday, adding, “or at least, what my job is now.”
“That’s not what I’m used to being,” Butler said. “I haven’t been that since my first, second, third year in the league, where I just went out there and played defense. I competed. I guarded. That’s what I’m doing now.”
Butler has not scored in double figures for three consecutive games, marking the first time that’s happened since November 2013. He was also scoreless against Oklahoma City on Dec. 20 after leaving the game early due to an ankle injury and illness.
Despite these struggles, Butler has still shown his elite skills. Less than a month ago, he scored 35 points, grabbed 19 rebounds, recorded 10 assists, and had four steals in a game against Detroit on Dec. 16.
But he’s also been held to 10 points or fewer six times this season, though he did leave two of those games early for injury or illness. “We tried to get him involved, I thought,” Heat guard Tyler Herro said after Thursday’s game.
Jimmy Butler goes to the basket in the 1st half
Butler has been the top player for the Heat in their two trips to the NBA Finals. He was eligible for a two-year, $113 million contract extension starting last summer, but the Heat have not yet offered him a new deal.
Butler has a $52 million player option for next season or could leave Miami in free agency this summer, depending on whether he stays with the team after the trade deadline.
Coach Spoelstra has said multiple times that he wants Butler to remain in Miami and believes that the back-to-back nine-point games are partly due to Butler missing almost two weeks because of illness. Wednesday’s game was his first back after that break.
“It’s about being aggressive,” Spoelstra said before Butler’s postgame comments. “We’ve got to figure it out. I’ll figure it out. He’s got to figure it out, too. We’ve got to figure it out.”
Butler insisted he will keep competing.
“I’m going out there to compete to win, either way, whether I score nine points or 29 points,” Butler said. “I will compete. That’s one thing that I will say. You won’t say that I’m out there not playing hard. It may look like that because my usage is down and I don’t shoot the ball a lot, but we won’t sit here and say I don’t play hard.”
Jimmy Butler plans to play for the Miami Heat on Wednesday. After that, his future is uncertain.
The good news for the Heat is that Butler said he is healthy again after battling a serious illness for over a week. He will return to the lineup when Miami plays New Orleans on New Year’s Night.
However, there may be some uncertainty. When asked on Tuesday if he wants to stay in Miami, Butler was unsure, especially with ongoing trade rumors.
“It’s a good question. Who knows? I don’t,” Butler said. “But right now, I’m here. So, I’m going to make the most of it. I am going to compete, and I am going to win. And that’s all that I’ve got. It’s a lot of talk. And it is a lot of noise, which I’m cool with. It doesn’t bother me at all.
I love that. I thrive in that. But it keeps all y’all wondering. It does. It keeps the world wondering, to where you’ve got to keep coming back and asking me about something. I like it. It’s good to be talked about. Even better to be wanted, though. Remember that.”
Miami Heat and Phoenix Suns (NBA)
His return to practice is part of a larger story that has been ongoing for months. Butler could have signed an extension with Miami this past summer for up to $113 million over two years but chose not to. The situation gained more attention three weeks ago when ESPN reported that the Heat are open to trade offers for Butler.
Then, on Christmas, ESPN reported that Butler prefers to be traded before the February 6 deadline and has a list of preferred teams, including Golden State, Houston, Phoenix, and Dallas. Butler did not confirm the list on Tuesday.
“Does it matter? Does it? I don’t think so,” Butler said. “All of that is out of my control, anyway. Like I said, I’m here. I’m hooping.”
Butler has helped the Heat reach the NBA Finals twice during his six seasons with the team. This season, he is averaging 18.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.9 assists in 20 games. The Heat are 11-9 when he plays and 5-5 when he does not.
Heat President Pat Riley responded to the trade rumors last week, breaking from the team’s usual policy of not commenting on speculation. He made it clear that the team has no plans to trade Butler, even though Butler could leave as a free agent next summer. Butler has a $52 million player option for next season.
“We usually don’t comment on rumors, but all this speculation has become a distraction to the team and is not fair to the players and coaches,” Riley said in a statement. “Therefore, we will make it clear — we are not trading Jimmy Butler.”
Riley had said at the end of last season that he wanted the team’s best players, including Butler, to play more often.
Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks (NBA)
Butler said on Tuesday that he has tried to play in as many games as possible, explaining that he attempted to play against Oklahoma City on December 20, despite injuring his ankle. He had to leave the game because of the illness that affected him for several days afterward.
“I was pretty messed up,” Butler said. “But I wanted to compete because I actually do want to play as many games as possible. I’m not even messing around. I came out and I felt sluggish, and I tweaked the ankle but that’s not what it was. I was damn near starving, getting ready to throw up and all that stuff.”
Butler has not requested a trade, and even he seems unsure about what will happen in the coming weeks or months.
“That’s up to Pat and them. They’re going to do what’s best for the organization, as they should,” Butler said. “As long as I’m happy, and right now I’m happy, I’m in a good space. I will tell you that. I’ve got my kids here, I’m healthy, I’m smiling. I promise you, I’m happy.”
Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler drives to the basket as Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez defends during the second half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game
If Jimmy Butler wants to be traded, the Miami Heat have no intention of making that happen.
Heat President Pat Riley spoke up on Thursday to address trade rumors, making it clear that the team has no plans to trade Butler. This indicates that if necessary, the team would prefer to let Butler leave as a free agent rather than trade him for assets.
“We usually don’t comment on rumors, but all this speculation has become a distraction to the team and is not fair to the players and coaches,” Riley said in a statement released by the team. “Therefore, we will make it clear — we are not trading Jimmy Butler.”
The Heat played in Orlando on Thursday, but Butler did not travel with the team the previous night. His plans for future games are uncertain.
Butler has not requested a trade, but ESPN reported on Wednesday, citing unnamed sources, that the six-time All-Star wants a trade before the February 6 deadline and is open to joining teams like Phoenix, Golden State, Houston, and Dallas.
“You have to compartmentalize in this business,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Thursday during the team’s morning shootaround in Orlando. “We want Jimmy here. There’s no ifs, ands, or buts about it. And it’s just unfortunate that you have to control or deal with a lot of the noise on the outside.”
Butler has contributed to the noise himself.
The teams he reportedly prefers have colors like orange, yellow, red, and blue, which match the shades of his hair in recent weeks.
Jimmy Butler and Scottie Barnes in the 2nd half
“I actually like it,” Butler said earlier this month when asked about being linked to trade talks and speculation. “It’s good to be talked about. I don’t think there’s such a thing as bad publicity — to a point.”
If Miami does not trade Butler, it risks losing him for nothing as a free agent next summer. He’s earning $49 million this season and has a player option for $52 million next season.
Riley’s comments are the latest in a long-running situation about Butler’s future with the Heat, which gained more attention in May when Riley was unsure about offering Butler an extension over the summer.
Butler is eligible for an extension that would guarantee him $113 million for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons. However, he is 35 years old and typically misses about one out of every four games with the Heat.
“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,” Riley said in May. “That’s the truth.”
Butler sprained his ankle in Miami’s loss to Oklahoma City on Friday but missed the rest of that game and the following two Heat games — at Orlando on Saturday and against Brooklyn on Monday — due to illness, not the ankle injury.
Butler has been key in helping Miami reach the NBA Finals twice during his time with the Heat. This season, he is averaging 18.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.9 assists.
The Miami Heat have listed Jimmy Butler as doubtful for Thursday’s game against Orlando, stating that he needs time to get back into shape before playing again.
Butler did not travel with the team to Orlando on Wednesday night, and it is unclear what his plans are for future games.
Although Butler hasn’t requested a trade, ESPN, citing anonymous sources, reported that the six-time All-Star wants to be traded before the February 6 deadline. He is open to joining teams such as Phoenix, Golden State, Houston, and Dallas.
These teams’ uniforms feature colors like orange, yellow, red, and blue, which happen to be shades that Butler’s hair has been dyed recently.
“I actually like it,” Butler said earlier this month when asked about the trade rumors. “It’s good to be talked about. I don’t think there’s such a thing as bad publicity — to a point.”
If the Heat decide not to trade Butler, they could risk losing him for nothing as a free agent next summer.
This is the latest chapter in a long-running situation regarding Butler’s future with the Heat. The situation began to pick up pace in May when Heat president Pat Riley hesitated to commit to an extension for Butler over the summer.
Butler is eligible for an extension that would guarantee him $113 million for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons. However, at 35 years old, he tends to miss around one in every four games during his time with the Heat.
Jimmy Butler and Paul Reed in the 1st half
“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,” Riley said in May. “That’s the truth.”
Riley also criticized Butler last season after he said that if he hadn’t gotten injured during the play-in tournament, teams like Boston and New York would have lost to Miami.
“I thought, ‘Is that Jimmy trolling or is that Jimmy serious?’ If you’re not on the court playing against Boston or on the court playing against the New York Knicks, you should keep your mouth shut on the criticism of those teams,” Riley said last spring.
Butler twisted his ankle in Miami’s loss to Oklahoma City on Friday, but he missed the rest of that game and the next two Heat games — against Orlando on Saturday and Brooklyn on Monday — due to illness, not the ankle injury.
Butler has helped lead Miami to the NBA Finals twice during his time with the Heat. He is currently averaging 18.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.9 assists this season.
