Jimmy Butler breaks silence on blockbuster NBA trade rumors as another team joins race to acquire Miami Heat superstar
Jimmy Butler has said that he enjoys being a part of rumors about trades.
The Miami Heat were rumored to be considering dealing Butler before to the February 6 trade deadline earlier this week.
This season, Butler, 35, has a contract worth $48.8 million.
After that, he has a player option for $52.4 million for the 2025–2026 season.
Butler reportedly wants to be traded to the Dallas Mavericks, a team from Texas, or his hometown Houston Rockets.
Butler would also like to join the Golden State Warriors, which are led by Stephen Curry and Draymond Greenon, as a win-now contender.
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Butler was not surprised when asked about speculation about his future on Wednesday.
He remarked, “I actually like it,” “It’s beneficial to be discussed.
“I don’t think there’s such a thing as bad publicity — to a point.”
Bernie Lee, Butler’s agent, told PerESPN that his client would also like to play for the Phoenix Suns.
Butler might join forces with Kevin Durant and Kevin Booker in a blockbuster trade.
After spending a season with the Philadelphia 76ers, six-time All-Star Butler inked a sign-and-trade with the Heat in 2019.
Since then, in five seasons, he has guided Erik Spoelstra’s squad to two NBAFinals.
The Heat lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Bubble in the opening game.
They advanced to the Finals as the eighth seed in 2023, but the Denver Nuggets defeated them.
Butler and the Heat were unable to come to an agreement on a contract extension before this season.
‘A BIG DECISION’
“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,” stated club president Pat Riley back in May.
Throughout his five complete seasons in Miami, Butler has not participated in more than 64 regular season games.
So far this season, he has played in 17 of the Heat’s 22 games.
Miami’s 12-10 record puts them in fifth place in the Eastern Conference.
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In 32 minutes per game, Butler averages 19 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists.
The Heat will host the 7-18 Toronto Raptors tonight.
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