Miami Heat trade talks for Jimmy Butler face roadblocks
While Jimmy Butler Trade Rumors sits out his seven-game suspension, the Miami Heat have stopped dead in their tracks while seeking an acceptable trade.
Several league executives and insiders polled by Heavy’s Steve Bilpet do not think Miami will receive an offer it deems worthy of making before the Feb. 6 trade deadline.
Barriers to a trade involving Butler
The reluctance from potential suitors stems from a combination of factors, including Butler’s age, his history of causing friction in the locker room, and his desire to sign a lucrative contract extension this summer.
“It’s more complicated than it seems,” said a team head of basketball operations. “Jimmy is 35 and doesn’t have much trade value anymore. Given his struggles and Bradley Beal’s hefty contract, Phoenix may be the only realistic option. Otherwise, teams interested in Butler are likely just looking to offload unwanted contracts, and Miami won’t take him on. I’m not sure how that’s going to pan out.”
According to sources, Butler’s market value is still influenced by the past teams, namely Miami, Minnesota, Chicago and Philadelphia where the dispute between teams is quite common regarding his contract issues.
“It all comes down to one thing: he wants to get paid,” said a league source. “He thinks he has been paid for what he did in Miami, but the Heat don’t seem willing to pay for that.”
Availability and Performance of Butler
Jimmy Butler Trade Rumors, now in his sixth season with the Heat, has appeared in just 22 of the team’s first 36 games. This comes despite assurances at the start of the season he would be more consistently available following a challenge from team president Pat Riley after last year’s playoff exit.
But a good chunk of his availability over the past five seasons – an average of 58 games per year – has been an issue for this organization. This season, his scoring has declined all the way down to 17.6 points per game, his lowest in a decade, even though his shooting percentages are quite strong (.552/.375/.788).
At 35, Butler has made public his intention to turn down his $52.4 million player option next season and explore the free agency.
However, according to some sources, staying past the trade deadline in Miami could make his market value complicated.
Riley on Butler’s trade
In December, Pat Riley declared that Butler was off the trade market. However, the rival executives have doubts about it.
“Miami had probably explored every possible trade scenario before Riley made that statement,” one executive said. “They probably determined that none of the offers were worth pursuing. Now, they’re holding firm, hoping Butler can expand his list of acceptable destinations.”
Butler’s current status
While the Heat are on the road, Butler has been working out at the Casillas Center with assistant coach Octavio de la Grana and other staff members. Head coach Erik Spoelstra declined to provide details about those sessions.
“I’ve talked to him, of course,” Spoelstra told reporters. “But that conversation remains between us.”
What’s next for Miami?
The Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson reported that trade talks are ongoing, but so far the Heat have received nothing they can seriously consider. The team may bring Butler back on board if they don’t hear from any suitor by Jan. 17.
Additionally, Miami seems willing to hold Butler for the rest of the season and revisit trade options over the summer if needed. If Miami can resolve the logjam before the deadline, that remains to be seen.
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