NBA rumors: Heat have had 'productive' Jimmy Butler trade conversations

Yesterday at 04:47 PM

The Jimmy Butler and Miami Heat fiasco continues as they try to find a trade for the disgruntled star. Butler has come back from his seven-game suspension and played in the last two games for the Heat, but that hasn’t changed his mindset about getting traded. He’s been letting the organization know that he still desires to be moved, according to ESPN’s Sham Charania.

“Jimmy Butler has tripled down on his trade request,” Charania said on NBA Today. “He did it to Pat Riley’s face, and last week he did it to Micky Arison, the team owner and CEO. I’m told the Heat have had some productive conversations on a potential Butler trade this week.”

"Jimmy Butler has tripled down on his trade request… The Heat have had some productive conversations on a potential Butler trade this week."@ShamsCharania says the Heat are still working to find a trade for Jimmy Butler pic.twitter.com/1FI9B8e6fG

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 21, 2025

It is uncertain what teams the Heat have had conversations with, but Butler has made it seem like he’d rather play with anybody else besides Miami. Right now, it seems like a lot of tension is between him and Pat Riley, as he wasn’t offered a contract extension. Butler has a player option for next season worth $52 million, and if he doesn’t get traded before the deadline, he’ll most likely opt-in during the offseason with the hopes of the team trading him.

It doesn’t seem like many teams are calling the phone trying to acquire Butler, but there are a few contenders who could use what he brings to the court. The main problem is trying to match the salary with what Butler’s making so the trade can work.

Heat still trying to find trade for Jimmy Butler

Even though the trade talks may have caused a distraction within the organization, Jimmy Butler says that the dynamic on the floor shouldn’t change much because it’s just basketball while he’s here now.

"It’s just basketball at this point, I know what I’m expected to do while I’m here, trying to do it to the best of my ability," Butler said. "But we are where we are."

While Butler was suspended, the Heat were led by Tyler Herro, who seems to be the future of the team at this point. Butler hasn’t had the ball as much as usual, and Herro has been taking advantage of his opportunity and showing the NBA world that he’s a real scorer. If the Heat do end up trading Butler, it would be best for them to get somebody who can complement Herro and what he does.

As of now, the only team that seems serious about trading for Butler is the Phoenix Suns, and they can’t make a move unless Bradley Beal waives his no-trade clause and approves of where he’s going.

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