In a stunning development, sources tell ESPN that Miami Heat superstar Jimmy Butler prefers a trade out of South Beach ahead of the NBA’s February trade deadline. The 35-year-old six-time All-Star is reportedly ready to move on from the Heat after extension talks broke down last summer.
Butler has led Miami to the playoffs in each of his five seasons with the team, including two NBA Finals appearances. However, the Heat have failed to surround him and co-star Bam Adebayo with the additional star power needed to get over the hump, losing out on pursuits of Damian Lillard, Kevin Durant, and Kyrie Irving in recent years.
Where Could Jimmy Buckets Land?
According to sources, Butler is open to landing with win-now contenders like the Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, and Houston Rockets. The Suns and Warriors in particular could view Butler as the missing piece to vault them back into serious title contention in the loaded Western Conference.
Butler’s Looming Free Agency
Complicating matters is Butler’s contract situation. He’s owed $49 million this season and holds a $52 million player option for 2025-26. Teams pursuing Butler have been informed he intends to decline that option and become a free agent this summer, giving both the Heat and any trade suitor a ticking clock to work with.
Both sides appear ready to move on from this Butler-led era — as the Heat lean into a rising core of All-Star center Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro, who is in the midst of a career season.
For now, the Heat don’t appear to be in any rush to move their franchise cornerstone. Sitting at 6th in the East, they could opt to play out the season before Butler’s free agency forces their hand. But if the right trade package emerges, a blockbuster deal before February’s deadline can’t be ruled out.
A New Era in Miami
Moving on from Butler would signal a changing of the guard in Miami. The Heat shelled out a 3-year, $166 million extension to Adebayo last summer but balked at a similar commitment to Butler. With young star Tyler Herro having a career year, the Heat may decide their long-term future is better off without mortgaging it for Butler’s final prime years.
Still, trading a competitor and performer of Butler’s caliber is never easy. If a deal materializes, it will test how the Heat balance doing right by the face of their franchise with charting the best path forward for the organization. The NBA trade winds are swirling in South Beach, and the basketball world will be watching to see where Jimmy Butler lands next.
