Jimmy Butler has blocked multiple trades that would’ve landed him on contending teams

[The-Power]

How can he block a trade? I thought all he can do is say he won't resign with the team he's traded to? If so, that's one thing Jimmy's doing that I don't think is wrong - if he's being honest.

It's his right to tell teams he won't extend with them. But then he can't be surprised if he's stuck in Miami and has to report and put in professional effort for as long as he's under contract with them.

[165bows]

His obsession with the Suns is not about the Suns, it's about trying to screw the Heat over. He wants the one trade where we end up worse for it. That's why he's pushing so hard for it. "Oh you don't want to extend me when I say give me the contract? I'm going to make sure you get nothing" The report even stated that he was going to get paid on these teams, it's not the money, it's that in those other trades, the Heat get something and he doesn't want that.

That could be it, but I think its more likely the Suns are the only team that will pay him what he wants. Other teams will extend him, sure, the Heat would too, but they don't want to max him, big difference. Doesn't surprise me either, the Suns are known to be happy overpaying older players, hell they traded for Beal in the first place.

If it is actually just to spite Miami though, that's actually pretty funny and absolutely ridiculous. It's just going to hurt him more, at this point the Heat are clearly OK with viewing him as an expiring.

Right, that makes sense, but I am wondering what was up with this going back to KD. Eg he could have gone to Boston for Jaylen Brown and won a title already (and BRK would have been better off), but for some reason guys are desperate for Phoenix.

[Pantsman]

At this point I hope he just walks away from the season with nothing and no bird rights. He can play on the MLE the rest of his career.

[Prince187]

I hope Miami can find a way to not pay him a single dollar of what’s remaining on his contract

[Jadoogar]

i hate this nonsense. If you want to pick your team, just decline your option and go where you want in the summer.
You can't demand a trade and choose only one team. Butler isn't really that elite level of player anymore where teams will put up with this BS

[Big J]

At this point is all of this drama better than just trading for Beal and being done with it?

[JujitsuFlip]

Well he can't really block a trade.

I mean, I guess he could threaten not to report, but Heat just have to say listen, there is no Suns deal, here are your options.

Reports are that he is telling teams he will not re-sign with them if traded there. That is killing trade opportunities. Would make no sense to pay the Heat what they want only to have Butler the rest of this season.

Then the Heat gotta lower their asking price.

Jimmy literally cannot block a trade.

Windy reporting as a Heat mouthpiece.

[Bobbymcgee]

Jimmy going through his Harden with the Sixers phase.

[Quattro]

Is all this drama really worth the Heat holding onto him at this point? They should just trade him to the Suns or release him and be done with it.

Nah they shouldn’t. I wish more people were like Riley and not capitulate to these divas. I hope they hold him to the bitter end.

[DaGawd]

At this point is all of this drama better than just trading for Beal and being done with it?

beal wants to stay put

[Tim_Hardawayy]

His obsession with the Suns is not about the Suns, it's about trying to screw the Heat over. He wants the one trade where we end up worse for it. That's why he's pushing so hard for it. "Oh you don't want to extend me when I say give me the contract? I'm going to make sure you get nothing" The report even stated that he was going to get paid on these teams, it's not the money, it's that in those other trades, the Heat get something and he doesn't want that.

That could be it, but I think its more likely the Suns are the only team that will pay him what he wants. Other teams will extend him, sure, the Heat would too, but they don't want to max him, big difference. Doesn't surprise me either, the Suns are known to be happy overpaying older players, hell they traded for Beal in the first place.

If it is actually just to spite Miami though, that's actually pretty funny and absolutely ridiculous. It's just going to hurt him more, at this point the Heat are clearly OK with viewing him as an expiring.

Right, that makes sense, but I am wondering what was up with this going back to KD. Eg he could have gone to Boston for Jaylen Brown and won a title already (and BRK would have been better off), but for some reason guys are desperate for Phoenix.

Well if I had to guess, it just goes back to them being willing to overpay aging players. Maybe KD could have gotten a max extension anywhere at that time, but remember once you have enough tenure in the league you can just keep cashing in max extensions, as long as someone is willing to write the check.

If money was my #1 priority above all else, and I knew there was a franchise that would probably max me regardless of performance, just due to star power, and I was shameless about it, I would probably try to get to that franchise by my mid 30's.

[ConSarnit]

How can he block a trade? I thought all he can do is say he won't resign with the team he's traded to? If so, that's one thing Jimmy's doing that I don't think is wrong - if he's being honest.

He's not wrong, it's just a terrible strategy. His threat is basically "I won't re-sign with you if you trade for me". The issue is there are no options in free agency where he can get the money he wants. Butler has very little leverage because there are no cap space teams that can pay him what he wants. If Butler goes the "won't re-sign" route he's going to end up in a situation where the only way to get paid is in a sign and trade with one of the teams he doesn't want to go to in the first place.

[TorontoBarneys]

I was initially kinda on his side at the beginning of this, but this is just pathetic.

I hope Riley extract as much assets from trading him as possible and then washes his hands of this moron.

[Village Idiot]

As a Blazer fan I can´t help but chuckle at the Heat´s expense at the irony of this latest turn. Heat culture is such a farse.

At what point can Miami void the rest of his contract for failure to perform services. Let Jimmy enter UFA in a year where no team that he might deign to play for could give him more than the tax MLE. Maybe giving up $50 million just in 2025-26 is not an issue for Jimmy but over the life of an extension he is giving up over $100 million net over this little tantrum.

[bisme37]

He just might Sprewell himself.

Good comparison lol

Spree threw a huge fit and wouldn't sign a $21M contract (which was good NBA money then) because he had a "family to feed," and he ended up out of the league and I didn't hear anything about him until a few years later when his boat got stuck in a lake or something haha.

[Tim_Hardawayy]

Well he can't really block a trade.

I mean, I guess he could threaten not to report, but Heat just have to say listen, there is no Suns deal, here are your options.

Reports are that he is telling teams he will not re-sign with them if traded there. That is killing trade opportunities. Would make no sense to pay the Heat what they want only to have Butler the rest of this season.

Then the Heat gotta lower their asking price.

Jimmy literally cannot block a trade.

Windy reporting as a Heat mouthpiece.

This is assuming all he said is he won't extend. It's likely more than that and even if it isn't, it can be inferred, that whatever team trades for him is just assuming the same headache Miami is going through. In other words, what's to stop him from just doing the same exact thing in his new destination (half-assing it on the court, missing games due to "illness" when he's actually at the club, etc) without an assurance from Jimmy he wants to be there?

That's why if anything, Miami should just keep him and sit him down. He's an expiring, big deal, plenty of teams deal with useless expirings, in fact many are on the court and contribute negatively, at least if he's off the court he's not hurting.

[alebaba]

At this point is all of this drama better than just trading for Beal and being done with it?

You do know Beal has A no-trade clause, right...

[Dan33185]

leave it to Jimmy to ruin his legacy with all these antics

He's not great enough to have a legacy.

EDIT- Oh, and as a Wolves fan, I hate to say I told you so, but...

[ConSarnit]

That could be it, but I think its more likely the Suns are the only team that will pay him what he wants. Other teams will extend him, sure, the Heat would too, but they don't want to max him, big difference. Doesn't surprise me either, the Suns are known to be happy overpaying older players, hell they traded for Beal in the first place.

If it is actually just to spite Miami though, that's actually pretty funny and absolutely ridiculous. It's just going to hurt him more, at this point the Heat are clearly OK with viewing him as an expiring.

Right, that makes sense, but I am wondering what was up with this going back to KD. Eg he could have gone to Boston for Jaylen Brown and won a title already (and BRK would have been better off), but for some reason guys are desperate for Phoenix.

Well if I had to guess, it just goes back to them being willing to overpay aging players. Maybe KD could have gotten a max extension anywhere at that time, but remember once you have enough tenure in the league you can just keep cashing in max extensions, as long as someone is willing to write the check.

If money was my #1 priority above all else, and I knew there was a franchise that would probably max me regardless of performance, just due to star power, and I was shameless about it, I would probably try to get to that franchise by my mid 30's.

I think it's a combination of things. At the time of the KD trade PHX was still a team with solid upside. I've also heard former players talk highly about PHX. I think PHX might be a tier 2 destination now that Sarver is gone (in the same way the Clippers got stars after Sterling was ousted).

Phoenix: West coast-ish, warm, non-POS owner willing to spend. I think players actually want to be there now.

[vincecarter4pres]

He just might Sprewell himself.

Good comparison lol

Spree threw a huge fit and wouldn't sign a $21M contract (which was good NBA money then) because he had a "family to feed," and he ended up out of the league and I didn't hear anything about him until a few years later when his boat got stuck in a lake or something haha.

And they were repossessing a bunch of his vehicles and properties, and the IRS was on him iirc.

I don’t know Jimmy is that stupid, nor irresponsible with the immense wealth he’s already earned, but he might be playing for MLE or some weak 2 year deal with a team option next year if he opts out, and if he opts in, is probably going to get fined and barred until something is worked out, if it ever is resolved.

He’s too old, too abrasive and just not good enough anymore to think he has total power while under contract imho.

He thinks he’s still 28 year old prime Jimmy or something?