At this point, it’s an open secret that Jimmy Butler and the Heat are at the breaking point of their professional relationship.
The man who brought the Heat to two incredible Finals runs wants out of South Beach, and the fans haven’t taken kindly to his seemingly sudden demand. The repercussions of this fallout won’t be pretty, as some voices within the league have already expressed their disappointment with the fans’ attitude toward Butler.
Butler is long known to be a difficult player to deal with when he’s mentally clocked out of a team, so Pat Riley and the rest of the Miami front office are doing their best to find the perfect trade package that allows them to remain competitive in the Eastern Conference.
However, the team also expressed one sentiment that Jimmy Buckets wouldn’t love to hear.
The Heat wants Jimmy Butler to lock in for the rest of the season if they fail to find a suitable trade for him
Hoops Rumors’ Arthur Hill wrote about how Miami is approaching Butler’s situation and how they expect the frustrated star to react if they fail to find a trade package that satisfies every party involved:
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst also offers an update on Butler trade talks (video link), saying the Heat “don’t like their hand at all right now.” Sources tell Windhorst that Pat Riley’s declaration last month that the team wasn’t interested in trading Butler came after several offers were received that were unsatisfactory. Windhorst adds that rival clubs seem to be testing Miami to see how low it is willing to sell Butler.
He notes that the only exception has been the Suns, whom he cites as the “best fit and most aggressive team” in the Butler pursuit. However, the Heat’s lack of interest in Beal is a major roadblock, and it’s very difficult to put together a three- or four-team deal under current CBA restrictions.
Windhorst still expects Butler to be traded somewhere before the deadline, but he states that Miami is operating from a position of weakness.
Hill also wrote about Marc Stein’s reports that they’re looking to take as little a cut out of $48.8 million contract and his $52.4 million player option next season. It’s due to these complications that they’re struggling to find a franchise capable of taking on his contract.
Butler’s production for Miami this season took a nosedive compared to his previous campaigns in South Beach. The 35-year-old is averaging 17.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.7 assists on 55.2% FG and 37.5% from deep.
If Butler does head to the Suns, Phoenix would have a terrifying front three on paper. Whether Miami could use Bradley Beal to help them make a postseason appearance and stomach his huge contract is an entirely different conversation.
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