Jimmy Butler Asks Heat For Trade, Open To Any Team

[RealGM Wiretap]

Jimmy Butler has informed the Miami Heat he wants to be traded, sources tell Shams Charania and Brian Windhorst of ESPN. Butler does not plan to offer a list of preferred teams as he open to playing anywhere other than the Heat. Butler will continue to take part in all team activities and do whatever the Heat ask him during this process.

Butler scored just nine points in the Heat's 128-115 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Thursday.

"I want to see me getting my joy back playing basketball. Wherever that may be, we'll find out here pretty soon," Butler said. "I'm happy here off the court but I want to be back to somewhat dominant, I want to hoop and I want to help this team win and right now I'm not doing it."

The Heat have been adamant they do not plan to trade Butler, who has previously been linked with the Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks. The Heat have had preliminary trade talks with several teams, but have shown no urgency in those discussions.

Pat Riley and Micky Arison have also met with Butler's representation in recent days to resolve the divide without success. 

Butler is in the final year of a contract paying him $49 million this season, and he has a player option for next season for $52 million.

Via Shams Charania, Brian Windhorst/ESPN

[Vegeta10176]

Might be hard to trade given his player option and his production decline.. I think expiring salary back would be the best they could hope for or a pick and some longer term contracts..

[Elnegron]

When is pat riley fuxking retiring man

[lonzo_pelota]

jimmy's 35 age isnt the same as Durant and Lebron's 35 imo

[Black Jack]

When is pat riley fuxking retiring man

Right

[njknicks]

This will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

Riley says no trade.
Jimmy says wants a trade.

[Future Coach]

Assuming Miami doesn't want Beal, and Houston really won't make a significant trade during the season, I think the simplest trade partner is Detroit. Tobias + Tim Hardaway Jr should roughly do the trick salary-wise. Detroit has a current need with Ivey going out and just generally being a young team . Detroit should also have some cap space to pay someone like Butler a little more than others might offer going forward given that they have a little time before paying all of their young players, and a player like Butler could complement and fit reasonably well with their young core.

Other teams would have to package 3 or 4 players to match salary, but maybe someone like the Nuggets/Warriors/Kings/Grizz/Bucks might want to get really creative, but Miami will have to drop players and/or multiple teams would need to be involved.

Or a team that sucks would have to trade for him, like the Wizards, but I don't know why they would do that.

[Roy T]

Assuming Miami doesn't want Beal, and Houston really won't make a significant trade during the season, I think the simplest trade partner is Detroit. Tobias + Tim Hardaway Jr should roughly do the trick salary-wise. Detroit has a current need with Ivey going out and just generally being a young team . Detroit should also have some cap space to pay someone like Butler a little more than others might offer going forward given that they have a little time before paying all of their young players, and a player like Butler could complement and fit reasonably well with their young core.

Other teams would have to package 3 or 4 players to match salary, but maybe someone like the Nuggets/Warriors/Kings/Grizz/Bucks might want to get really creative, but Miami will have to drop players and/or multiple teams would need to be involved.

Or a team that sucks would have to trade for him, like the Wizards, but I don't know why they would do that.

Thats exactly what I was thinking. Butler would hate to play in Detroit tho, ngl

[spree2kawhi]

This will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

Riley says no trade.
Jimmy says wants a trade.

If I were Riley, I’d keep him, make him forego his player option, take the 52 million salary cap relief.

[tigerae]

This will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

Riley says no trade.
Jimmy says wants a trade.

If I were Riley, I’d keep him, make him forego his player option, take the 52 million salary cap relief.

That definitely doesn't help the Heat. They already have 3 big salaries on the payroll next season with Bam, Herro and Robinson. No big name free agents to target either come off-season. Honestly, their best move is to try to get young prospects and/or first round picks for the future. Then start a rebuild.

Since Butler appears to be willing to play for anyone, open it up and take the best deal on the table. A trade like the Jazz got for Gobert would be the best possible outcome, but if they can get multiple first round picks then that's the way to go.

[pushfloater]

Kings should be on this

[BigTex]

This will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

Riley says no trade.
Jimmy says wants a trade.

If I were Riley, I’d keep him, make him forego his player option, take the 52 million salary cap relief.

That definitely doesn't help the Heat. They already have 3 big salaries on the payroll next season with Bam, Herro and Robinson. No big name free agents to target either come off-season. Honestly, their best move is to try to get young prospects and/or first round picks for the future. Then start a rebuild.

Since Butler appears to be willing to play for anyone, open it up and take the best deal on the table. A trade like the Jazz got for Gobert would be the best possible outcome, but if they can get multiple first round picks then that's the way to go.

Why on earth would any team give a first round pick for Butler at this point?

[dubbmotta]

If I were Riley, I’d keep him, make him forego his player option, take the 52 million salary cap relief.

That definitely doesn't help the Heat. They already have 3 big salaries on the payroll next season with Bam, Herro and Robinson. No big name free agents to target either come off-season. Honestly, their best move is to try to get young prospects and/or first round picks for the future. Then start a rebuild.

Since Butler appears to be willing to play for anyone, open it up and take the best deal on the table. A trade like the Jazz got for Gobert would be the best possible outcome, but if they can get multiple first round picks then that's the way to go.

Why on earth would any team give a first round pick for Butler at this point?

A team like OKC or Utah have way too many draft picks, giving up 1 or 2 non lottery picks want hurt them.

[elmdawgg69]

Jimmy pulled the same **** with the Wolves when Thibs was coach. Wolves got peanuts for him. Heat will too.

[Vegeta10176]

Jimmy pulled the same **** with the Wolves when Thibs was coach. Wolves got peanuts for him. Heat will too.

He did the same thing with bulls and 76ers too if he is not going to get paid he leaves.. Wolves had a playoff appearance with him there something they lacked for a long time till last season.. 76ers were one shot away from the ecf and potential title with Jimmy.. The Kawhi 7 bounce bucket.. Heat made two finals appearances lead by Jimmy and multiple ecf appearances.. This is now the worst version of Jimmy.. He is paid a lot and has had massive decline in production and has a player option for next season your right they won't get much at all if they can even trade him.. He did say he will go anywhere..

[Vegeta10176]

That definitely doesn't help the Heat. They already have 3 big salaries on the payroll next season with Bam, Herro and Robinson. No big name free agents to target either come off-season. Honestly, their best move is to try to get young prospects and/or first round picks for the future. Then start a rebuild.

Since Butler appears to be willing to play for anyone, open it up and take the best deal on the table. A trade like the Jazz got for Gobert would be the best possible outcome, but if they can get multiple first round picks then that's the way to go.

Why on earth would any team give a first round pick for Butler at this point?

A team like OKC or Utah have way too many draft picks, giving up 1 or 2 non lottery picks want hurt them.

1. The players that OKC would have to give up to make Jimmy's salary is just not going to happen.. 2. Utah want to suck.. They want high draft picks getting Jimmy and giving up picks makes no sense..

[Scalabrine]

My 3 favorite trades:

Rockets trade:
Dillon Brooks/Tari Eason/Steven Adams/Jesean Tate
Heat Trade:
Jimmy Butler/Josh Richardson/Haywood Highsmith

Spoiler:

Rockets Depth Chart
Sengun/Landale/Green
Smith/Highsmith
Butler/Whitmore
Green/Thompson/Burks
VanVleet/Sheppard/Holiday

Heat Depth Chart
Bam/Ware/Adams
Eason/Jovic/Love
Brooks/Jaquez/Tate
Herro/Robinson/Larson
Rozier/Burks

Kings trade:
Derozon/Huerter/Devin Carter
Heat trade:
Jimmy Butler/Alec Burks

Spoiler:

Sabonis/Lyles/Len
Murray/McDermott/Crowder
Butler/Burks
Ellis/Monk
Fox/Monk/McGlaughlin

Bam/Ware/Love
Jaquez/Jovic/Highsmith
Derozan/Robinson/Larsen
Herro/Huerter/Richardson
Rozier/Carter

Nuggets trade:
Porter Jr./Naji/Holmes
Heat trade:
Butler/Richardson/Burks

Spoiler:

Nuggets:
Jokic/Jordan/Saric
Gordon/Watson/Tyson
Butler/Strawther
Braun/Burks/Richardson
Murray/Westbrook

Heat:
Bam/Ware/Love
Jaquez/Jovic/Naji
Porter/Highsmith/Larsen
Herro//Robinson
Rozier/Larsen

[puja21]

This will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

Riley says no trade.
Jimmy says wants a trade.

If I were Riley, I’d keep him, make him forego his player option, take the 52 million salary cap relief.

"Making" a player forgo their option isn't a thing.

Even if Riley won't trade him and Butler decides he doesn't want to test UFA, Jimmy could still opt-in and then just "try" to make a nightmare situation to force a trade, like Harden did with Philly last offseason.

Would be interesting to see how Miami handles that -- pay him to go home maybe?

[Pickled Prunes]

Why on earth would any team give a first round pick for Butler at this point?

A team like OKC or Utah have way too many draft picks, giving up 1 or 2 non lottery picks want hurt them.

1. The players that OKC would have to give up to make Jimmy's salary is just not going to happen.. 2. Utah want to suck.. They want high draft picks getting Jimmy and giving up picks makes no sense..

1) It would take I-Hart and Dort. I think both teams lose that trade.

2) Correct. The Jazz are still in the asset collection part of their rebuild. Jimmy will be retired before they are contending again.

[31to6]

A team like OKC or Utah have way too many draft picks, giving up 1 or 2 non lottery picks want hurt them.

1. The players that OKC would have to give up to make Jimmy's salary is just not going to happen.. 2. Utah want to suck.. They want high draft picks getting Jimmy and giving up picks makes no sense..

1) It would take I-Hart and Dort. I think both teams lose that trade.

2) Correct. The Jazz are still in the asset collection part of their rebuild. Jimmy will be retired before they are contending again.

the Jazz want Cooper Flagg. This year. Danny Ainge knows you don't trade for Jimmy Butler to drive your tank!