Rumors about Jimmy Butler trades have been swirling for months. According to team president Pat Riley, the Miami Heat aren’t trading their star.
Riley responded to the reports that Butler wanted to be traded with a firm statement that clarified the team’s stance: “We are not trading Jimmy Butler.”
Miami does have until the trade deadline on Feb. 6 to rethink this decision, but for now, this should put a damper on some of the trade speculation about the 35-year-old All-Star. Maybe.
On Christmas Day, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Butler “prefers a trade out of Miami,” naming the Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors as his top two destinations.
Butler himself hasn’t made any public statements except for stating that he “actually liked” the trade speculation. That’s a stark contrast to Riley, who called the rumors “a distraction to the team.”
The 14-13 Heat are in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, a better position than the eighth-place Suns or 10th-place Warriors. But playing for a contender may be less important to Butler than playing for a team that can give him a contract extension.
Butler can opt out of his $52M salary for next season, but Miami didn’t try to extend him this summer. It would be hard for Butler to match that salary as an unrestricted free agent simply because few contenders have the requisite salary-cap space. That’s why getting traded during this season allows Butler to maximize his options. Perhaps he sees Phoenix and Golden State as teams that would give him the long-term deal he wants.
There’s also been tension between Butler and the team. Riley criticized Butler for saying he thought the Heat could have beaten the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks in the playoffs last season had he been healthy, telling him, “You should keep your mouth shut” if he wasn’t playing. Butler also skipped Riley’s annual Christmas party.
For the Heat, there’s no such urgency to deal Butler. Any trade with Phoenix would likely require Miami to take back Bradley Beal and his massive long-term contract, while a deal with the Warriors would likely involve Andrew Wiggins’ massive deal. They can always trade Butler after the season when teams have more flexibility than during the season.
Don’t expect Miami to deal Butler unless he gets much more direct about his unhappiness in South Beach, or the Heat get blown away by a trade offer. In that case, Riley can always amend his remarks to say that the Heat aren’t trading Butler … yet.
