This past season, the Miami Heat outscored opponents by 5.5 points per 100 possessions when Jimmy Butler was on the court and were outscored when he wasn’t. At 34, he was still averaging 20.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5 assists per game and was at the center of everything Miami-related – when he was available. He played in 60 games but was out for the Heat’s first-round matchup against the Celtics, which Boston won in five games.
Jimmy Butler loves Miami, but it’s always about the money. Butler — who has two years and $101.2 million remaining on his current contract, the second year of which is a player option — is eligible for a two-year, $113 million extension this summer. Butler wants it, other teams are looking to see if the Heat offer it and if not, does that lead to the Heat exploring trade options? The Athletic’s Shams Charania talked about it on a recent episode of The Pat McAfee Show.
“My feeling is that Jimmy Butler doesn’t want to be anywhere else but Miami. My feeling is that he loves it in Miami. But then again, he’s eligible for an extension this year. There are multiple teams that would give him an extension , and I think this is something we’ll see happen in the next month. Heat don’t want to trade him; will they give him an extension?
Let’s be clear: Jimmy Butler is likely going to training camp with the Miami Heat next season. Pat Riley said that after the Heat were eliminated, the front office did not discuss an extension internally, but added a clear message to Butler.
“It’s a big decision on our part to deploy these types of resources unless you have someone who is going to be there every night and available,” Riley said. “That is the truth.”
For the Philadelphia front office, with plenty of cap space and a desire to find an elite wing between Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, this is a situation worth keeping an eye on. The 76ers aren’t alone; other teams looking to add a win-now star are keeping an eye on what happens in Miami.
It probably won’t work out. Can Butler and the Heat reach a non-max extension? Can the talks be postponed until next summer? This could go in many directions, but many teams are monitoring the situation to see how it plays out.
