Why Heat may not give Jimmy Butler the trade he wants

Miami isn’t feeling the heat.

The Heat are offering “no indication” they plan to trade superstar Jimmy Butler despite an ESPN report stating he wants out of Miami, according to the Miami Herald.

The Suns, Warriors, Mavericks and Rockets are Butler’s preferred destinations, per ESPN, although both outlets said the 35-year-old has not formally demanded a trade.

The Heat and Butler have enjoyed six seasons together but there have been some signs of tension leading into and now in what could be the final year of Butler’s run with the team.

Butler, a six-time All-Star who has led Miami to two NBA Finals appearances, has a $52.4 million player option for next season but an ESPN report in June stated he would become a free agent, regardless of which team he will finish the season with.

The Miami Herald reported that Butler is not pleased Miami did not offer him a two-year extension that would have taken him through the 2026-27 season.

The outlet also reported that Butler did not appreciate team president Pat Riley telling him to keep his mouth shut after making disparaging comments about the Knicks and Celtics last season, along with Miami not shooting down a report that it was open to dealing the veteran.

Such a situation could lead the Heat, who entered Thursday with a 14-13 record and the sixth-best record in the Eastern Conference, looking to potentially trade Butler than risk losing him for nothing.

The Heat’s lack of urgency regarding a potential trade stems from two reasons, per the Miami Herald.

The first is that the Nets are the only team that can sign Butler to a max contract this summer.

Brooklyn is clearly going through a rebuild, and ESPN states Butler wants a “win-now contender.” The Nets don’t fit that mold.

“The Heat is not at all concerned about the possibility of losing him for nothing in free agency, a source with direct knowledge said,” the Miami Herald reported.

The other factor is that while the Miami Herald reported that its “unclear” if Miami has received an offer, any said package would have been underwhelming.

Teams have called the Heat, per ESPN, but Miami has shown a “lack of urgency.”

The Miami Herald noted that among Butler’s preferences, Houston is not interested in a trade, while Dallas and Phoenix are lacking strong trade assets and there would be salary cap issues.

The Warriors could make sense, with the outlet speculating a trade involving at least one-first round pick, Andrew Wiggins and possibly Jonathan Kuminga could make sense.

A Golden State trade, though, could possibly require a third team due to salary issues.

Butler is averaging 18.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game this season, and the NBA trade deadline is Feb. 6, 2025.