Jimmy Butler essentially put an end to trade speculation after reports emerged that he would not sign a contract extension with the Heat or any other team this season.
Butler will play next season with the Heat – who declined to trade him – and then make a decision on his future in 2025 when he has a player option. reports Shams Charania of The Athletic.
His decision to play out next season commits him to Miami and clears up any idea of ​​a trade question due to the lack of an extension. Butler has an affinity for Miami and wanted to stay with the Heat, league sources said.
Meanwhile, the Heat have shown no interest in trading Butler, league sources said. Theoretically, they could trade him this summer if they find a deal that suits them, but Butler’s reluctance to immediately sign an extension would likely limit the return they would receive for their best player.
Butler and the Heat could revive extension talks during the season, reports Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel.
This news comes a day after Bam Adebayo agreed to a three-year extension with the Heata team-friendly deal that ties him to Miami for the next five years.
Butler averaged 20.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5 assists per game last season, and he remains the linchpin of the Heat’s system. Miami outscored opponents by 5.5 points per 100 possessions when Butler was on the court last season, but was outscored when he sat. That was bad news during the playoffs when Butler sat out for the Heat’s first-round game against the Celtics due to a right MCL sprain. Butler played in 60 games last season, failing to qualify for major postseason honors under the terms of the new CBA.
Player availability was a big deal for Heat CEO Pat Riley when asked about offseason plans: “That’s a deep dive for us this summer, player availability. We’ve got to change some things, but we’re not going to tear anything apart.”
Other front offices were monitoring the Butler situation and figured that if the Heat couldn’t get an extension with the six-time All-Star, they’d have to talk about a trade because Miami couldn’t let him go for nothing. Butler is under contract for $48.8 million this coming season, with a $52.4 million player option for 2025-26.
This leak from the Butler/Heat camp puts an end to the speculation about a trade, as it is highly unlikely that another team will make a move to hire Butler next season and risk losing him.
