As questions and speculations continue to swirl around his future in South Beach, Jimmy Butler is reportedly prepared to finally move on.
In the breaking news report of Shams Charania of ESPN, it was revealed that Butler prefers a trade out of the Miami Heat ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline.
As such, teams were also informed that Butler is leaning towards declining his 2025-26 option and is believed to be “ready for his exit” in Miami even though he hasn’t requested yet to be traded.
Charania himself first revealed that the Heat have allowed themselves to listen to any trade offers around Butler.
As Butler vies a win-now situation, the likes of the Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, and the Phoenix Suns were noted as his preferred trade landings. Several analysts and experts have noted key intriguing ball clubs that could fit Butler’s talent perfectly.
Yet apparently, per Charania, there were also multiple teams that have contacted the Heat about the franchise star in the past two weeks but the team didn’t show any urgency in talks.
Butler, 35, failed to reach a new extension with the Heat this past offseason. He is in the final year of his four-year, $184 million extension with 2025-26 offering a player option worth $52.4MM.
Since joining the organization in 2019, Butler assumed the leadership role for the Heat. Over the last five years, he carried Miami to sustained success and supremacy, highlighted by two epic trips to the NBA Finals in 2020 and 2023.
It’s intriguing how all of these came afloat just in time for Christmas Day. For this, we can only wait for what would be the next for Butler and his looming divorce with the Heat.
Butler is averaging 18.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.9 assists in 31.4 minutes for 20 games this 2024-25 while shooting a career-best 55.2 percent from the field.
He has missed the team’s last two games due to a stomach bug (illness). And with the latest around his drama with the Heat, all eyes should be directed to him if he’ll still be able to return and play for Miami this season.
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