In a decisive move, Miami Heat president Pat Riley has publicly declared that the team will not trade their star player Jimmy Butler, despite increasing speculation that the six-time NBA All-Star is seeking a move before February’s trade deadline. The rare statement from Riley serves as a clear signal that the Heat are prepared to risk losing Butler for nothing as a free agent next summer rather than dealing him now.
We usually don’t comment on rumors, but all this speculation has become a distraction to the team and is not fair to the players and coaches. Therefore, we will make it clear – we are not trading Jimmy Butler.
– Miami Heat president Pat Riley
The forceful statement comes amidst reports from ESPN, citing unnamed sources, that Butler wants a trade by the February 6th deadline and would be open to joining teams like the Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, and Dallas Mavericks. The primary colors of Butler’s rumored preferred destinations – orange, yellow, red, and blue – have notably been featured in the star forward’s recently changing hair color.
Heat Taking Calculated Gamble
By publicly refusing to trade Butler, the Heat are taking a significant risk. If Butler departs as a free agent in 2023, Miami would lose him without any compensation. The 35-year-old is making $49 million this season and holds a $52 million player option for next year, which he could decline in favor of signing elsewhere.
Riley’s Reluctance to Commit
The saga surrounding Butler’s future began in May, when Riley expressed hesitation about offering the star a lucrative extension. Butler is eligible for a deal that would guarantee him $113 million across the 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons, but Riley voiced concerns about committing such massive resources to an aging player with an inconsistent availability record.
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.
– Pat Riley in May
Rumors Fueled by Butler’s Absences
Trade rumors have intensified in recent weeks as Butler has missed multiple games. Though he twisted an ankle in a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder last Friday, subsequent absences against the Orlando Magic and Brooklyn Nets were attributed to illness rather than the injury.
Over his tenure with the Heat, Butler has helped lead the team to two NBA Finals appearances. This season, he is averaging 18.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game. However, he has missed approximately 25% of Miami’s games since joining the team.
Heat Hoping to Avoid Distraction
Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra acknowledged the need to compartmentalize amidst the swirling speculation. He emphasized that the team wants Butler in Miami without any equivocation and lamented that they must contend with outside noise.
You have to compartmentalize in this business. We want Jimmy here. There’s no ifs, ands or buts about it. And it’s just unfortunate that you have to control or deal with a lot of the noise on the outside.
– Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra
For his part, Butler has not explicitly requested a trade but has admitted to taking some pleasure in the constant rumors and speculation. “I actually like it,” Butler said earlier this month. “It’s good to be talked about. I don’t think there’s such a thing as bad publicity – to a point.”
As the February trade deadline looms, all eyes will be on the Miami Heat and Jimmy Butler to see if either side blinks in this high-stakes impasse. With Riley drawing a line in the sand, it appears Butler will remain in South Beach through the end of this season – for better or worse.
