Jimmy Butler trade rumors have seemed to slow down as reality has set in. Similarly, meaningful action toward a Butler trade seems almost nonexistent. Let’s break down where things stand with Butler.
Latest Jimmy Butler trade rumors and news
Miami continues its search for a Jimmy Butler trade, including having talks with several teams in the past week, but that has not moved the needle and nothing is close to getting done, reports Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald.
The core reality of the situation has not changed: Butler has asked for a trade, and ideally wants to go to Phoenix (and the Suns want him), but there is no good way to put that deal together (more on that below in the top destinations section). Other teams are not interested unless they can get Butler on a lowball offer or ones that send worse contracts back to Miami — he’s 35 years old with an injury history, there are questions about a diminishing game, and he wants a new contract, but could opt into the $52.4 million he is owed next season. All of that is a lot for a team to take on, and with all that teams are not jumping to get in the Butler business.
Which means Jimmy Butler rejoining the Heat on Friday after his suspension is highly likely. Que the awkward vibes.
Miami team president Pat Riley suspended Jimmy Butler seven games after Butler obviously tried to quiet quit on the team and then told the media, “I want to see me getting my joy back playing basketball. Wherever that may be.” Butler then said it’s not going to be in Miami. He and his agent demanded a trade from Miami. Riley had seen the disruptive “trade me” Butler in Minnesota and made the pre-emptive strike.
Through his actions and statements, he has shown he no longer wants to be part of this team. Jimmy Butler and his representative have indicated that they wish to be traded, therefore, we will listen to offers.
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) January 4, 2025
The NBA players’ union has said it will appeal this suspension and likely will get Butler back some (if not all) of the $2.35 million he would lose during the suspension.
That suspension ends Sunday. So what happens? Is everyone professional and just moves forward, or will we get disruptive Butler who doesn’t try in games? Will Miami just pay him to be away from the team?
Jimmy Butler not going anywhere until Summer?
We know where things stand: Jimmy Butler wants to be traded, ideally to Phoenix. Those Suns want Butler. Miami isn’t going to be bullied into taking a bad trade just to dump Butler, and there are no offers good enough on the table. It has been that way for a while.
Most league sources NBC Sports has spoken with on this topic think Butler will remain with the Heat past the Feb. 6 trade deadline and into the summer. He will likely opt into the $52.4 million he is owed next year, and the Heat will find a trade then. Nobody sees a clear path to getting a trade done before the Feb. 6 trade deadline, something executives echoed to Steve Bulpett at Heavy Sports.
“I don’t know how this gets worked out,” one league source told Heavy Sports. “And I only know of a few teams that want to come anywhere near this.”
“It’s more difficult than people think,” said one team’s head of basketball operations. “First of all, Jimmy’s 35 and doesn’t have much value. And then the team that would like him the most is probably Phoenix, because they’re so bad and they have the worst contract in (Bradley) Beal. Other than that, I don’t know of any teams that would want to take on Jimmy Butler, other than teams that just want to dump contracts — and Miami won’t go for that. I just don’t know how it’s going to work.
“But all this stuff with Jimmy — all the stuff in Miami and Minnesota and Chicago and Philly — all of it is because he wants to get paid. That’s where he’s at right now. He wants to be paid for what he’s done for Miami.”
That next contract remains the crux of it — this is always been about money, not the joy of basketball. Butler didn’t get paid by Pat Riley last summer — he wanted a two-year extension north of $100 million — and now he is looking for it elsewhere. Phoenix is the only team that would come close to that (keep reading), but arranging a Butler-to-Phoenix trade is next to impossible.
So here we are, with Butler most likely still a member of the Miami Heat past the trade deadline. Which will have some awkward vibes.
What do Heat want in Butler trade?
This is not a fire sale. Miami’s two primary goals for any trade are acquiring win-now players who can help them this season and next (not just picks and young players) and taking back as little long-term money as possible. If Miami makes a deal, it wants the flexibility to rebuild around Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro without being anchored down by another long-term big contract.
The challenge is Butler is making $48.8 million this season with a player option for $52.4 million next season — and the 35-year-old wants an extension (he could have that tacked on at the end of this contract taking him to age 38, or he could opt out of next season’s contract and sign for two years at whatever number, he wants more than $100 million, taking him to his age 37 season).
To trade for Butler means either teams have to send another expensive player back to Miami, or a team will have to trade four or five players to make it work. If a trade happens, it likely ends up a three- or four-team trade. Which are incredibly challenging to put together (both financially and in making everybody happy). There’s a reason some league sources have said Butler will be on the Heat roster until this summer, when a trade can be put together either around the NBA draft or in July.
Top Butler destinations
This is pretty much a one-team list.
Phoenix Suns
The latest updates are more of the same: Phoenix wants Butler “bad,” but the only realistic way to make this trade work is to include Bradley Beal in the deal. Nobody wants to take on Beal and the $110 million he is owed over the coming two seasons (Marc Stein echoed this over the weekend).
There are good basketball reasons for Butler to want to go to the Suns: Teaming up with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker is a no-brainer; plus the Suns lack a certain level of toughness, this is not a team with a lot of dog in it, and Butler would bring that. However, Butler mostly wants to get to Phoenix because its owner, Mat Ishbia, has suggested he would give Butler the kind of extension he seeks.
The problem continues to be constructing a Butler to the Suns trade. As noted above, Phoenix would have to send out Bradley Beal and there is no appetite to take him on in Miami or around the league. For one thing, Beal has a no-trade clause and can veto any trade proposal he doesn’t like (Beal being moved to the bench, while a sound basketball move, in a lot of circles is seen as Phoenix trying to make Beal unhappy enough to waive his no-trade clause). The bigger challenge in a Butler-to-Phoenix trade is the Miami Heat want no part of Beal. Miami wants players who can help them win now and not to take on long-term money, Beal just got benched in favor of a rookie and is owed more than $100 million over the coming two seasons.
Phoenix is scouring the league to find a three- or four-team trade in which Beal goes to a third team. This is a nice idea, except that, much like the Heat, other teams are not lining up to take on Beal. The few that would consider it want a lot of sweeteners—first-round picks the Suns don’t have to trade—thrown in. Those teams will also want Beal to permanently drop his no-trade clause as part of this, and he will be understandably reluctant to do so.
That is why there are many skeptics in league circles, as mentioned above, that expect Butler to be with the Heat after the trade deadline.
Brooklyn not going to pursue Butler
If, as currently expected, Butler is not traded before the Feb. 6 trade deadline, he has a decision to make: Pick up his $52.4 million option for next season or become a free agent.
Butler wants to get paid, and Brooklyn is the only team that is projected to have maximum cap space next summer. So…
No.
The Nets are not going to pursue Butler as a free agent (they want to save their ammunition in case Giannis Antetokounmpo gets frustrated and wants out of Milwaukee), Marc Stein reported in his Sunday newsletter.
That lack of a market for Butler is why there is a growing expectation he opts into the $52.4 million for next season (the question is, would he opt out for something like two years, $70 million, a little more guaranteed money in total and one more guaranteed year).
Golden State Warriors not interested
It makes sense on a surface level: The Golden State Warriors are looking for a star, a shot-creating, two-way player they can put next to Stephen Curry. Butler is available. Yet according to a report at The Athletic, the Warriors are not in the Jimmy Butler mix for three reasons: Butler’s age, his injury history, and price tag (the Warriors would have to send out either Draymond Green or Andrew Wiggins, plus Jonathan Kuminga and at least two more players, then have to pay Butler next summer with a massive new contract).
What the Warriors are thinking echoes what a lot of teams are thinking.
Grizzlies, Bucks out of running
In the wake of Butler and his agent making a trade demand to the Heat, ESPN reported Butler wanted to play “anywhere but Miami.” He just wanted out. Except “anywhere” does not apparently include Memphis or Milwaukee. Butler’s people have told the Memphis Grizzlies he does not want to be traded there, reports Chris Haynes. Multiple other reports say the Bucks are on that same list. Because Butler can opt out after this season and be a free agent, he has leverage on where he gets traded. That doesn’t mean he can easily force his way to Phoenix.
What happened between Jimmy Butler and Pat Riley?
This entire saga is all about the money. Don’t pretend it’s about anything else.
Things fell apart between Butler and the Heat when Butler wanted to discuss a contract extension after last season, ideally with him opting out of his $52.4 million for next season to get two years, $112.6 million. Pat Riley emphatically shot that down when talking after last season.
“That’s a big decision on our part to commit those kinds of resources unless you have somebody who’s going to be there and available every single night. That’s the truth,” Riley said. Butler played 60 games last season and was out for the team’s playoff series against the Celtics.
Butler told the Washington Post this week he still believes he’s in his prime.
It’s that simple: Butler wants to be paid, but the Heat don’t want to do it, so Butler wants a trade to a place he thinks he will get paid.
How old is Jimmy Butler?
He is 35 years old and will turn 36 before training camp opens next season. This is his 14th season in the league.
