The NBA’s veteran small forward Jimmy Butler reportedly prefers a trade from the Miami Heat. Butler, 35, has played for the Heat since signing with the team in a sign-and-trade with the Philadelphia 76ers through a four-team trade. Butler previously played for the 76ers from 2018 to 2019, the Minnesota Timberwolves from 2017 to 2018, and the Chicago Bulls from 2011 to 2017.
Butler, a Houston, Texas, native and Tyler Junior College and Marquette alum, is best known for his six-year tenure with the Bulls, with whom he earned his first NBA All-Defensive selection at the end of the 2013-14 NBA season. Butler was also a six-time NBA All-Star from 2015 to 2018 and then 2020 and 2022. Butler’s defensive play under pressure is one of his many talents. Now, here’s why Butler prefers a trade from Miami, Florida.
Jimmy Butler’s Reported Preference
Jimmy Butler reportedly prefers a trade from the Miami Heat ahead of the NBA’s deadline on February 6, 2025, the NBA’s sources told ESPN. Butler hasn’t formally requested a trade out of Miami, Florida, but appears ready to exit. ESPN previously reported on December 10, 2024, in the “Inside Pass” that the Heat were willing to listen to trade offers for Butler, and Butler wants a “win-now contender” in any deal.
Most, if not all, NBA teams have been informed that Butler intends to decline his 2025-26 player option with the Heat and become a free agent in July 2025, sources told ESPN. According to sources, Butler is reportedly open to trade destinations, such as the Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, and Phoenix Suns. However, Miami hasn’t shown urgency in trade talks, so the potential Butler trade remains up in the air.
The Heat signed center Bam Adebayo to a three-year, $166 million maximum contract extension last off-season but decided not to have Jimmy Butler sign a similar deal. Butler has been averaging 18.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game, shooting 55.2% from the field and 35.7% from the three-point line. Butler led the Heat to two NBA Finals in five years, with Miami and one Eastern Conference Final.
Jimmy Butler’s Current Contract
Jimmy Butler’s contract with the Miami Heat is three years and $146,396,031. Butler signed the contract with the Heat on August 7, 2021. However, Butler is expected to reject his player option for the 2025-26 NBA season and enter unrestricted free agency in the Summer of 2025. If Miami’s certain of not paying Butler a maximum contract extension, a smart approach would be for the Heat to trade Butler by the deadline.
Butler’s recent fueling of contract extension drama in Miami, Florida, has attracted plenty of attention from NBA reporters and fans alike. If the Heat continues to be unwilling to extend Butler’s contract, the only option would be to cut its losses in the coming months. Butler’s top four suitors are reportedly the Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors, and Phoenix Suns, so we’ll keep an eye out on each team’s needs.
Final Thoughts
As we keep an eye on the Miami Heat’s next steps surrounding Jimmy Butler, the Heat’s last win, a 110-95 blowout of the Brooklyn Nets at the Kaseya Center in Miami’s Biscayne Bay, was on Monday. The Heat earned three much-needed days off. The Heat traveled to Orlando, Florida, and will take on the Orlando Magic on Friday at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.
The Magic has won two of its last three games, a 108-104 upset of the Boston Celtics on Monday and a close 121-114 win over the Heat, respectively. Both of the Magic’s last two wins occurred at the Kia Center in downtown Orlando. The Magic will seek its third straight win, while the Heat look to extend its one-game winning streak to two games.
