Is Jimmy Butler on his way out of Miami?
The Miami Heat star recently was the subject of some criticism from team president Pat Riley after he made some comments about the Boston Celtics following their four games to one series loss in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
Butler did not play in the series due to injury which struck a cord with Riley.
“If you’re not on the court playing, you should keep your mouth shut.”
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Now, a Miami Heat insider has revealed his expectations for Butler’s future with the Heat.
This from NBACentral via insider Wes Goldberg:
“I expect Jimmy Butler to get traded this summer.”
– Heat insider @wcgoldberg
(Via @LockedOnHeat)
It should be noted that this is just an expectation, and not a report.
If Butler is traded, it will be the fourth time in his career that he will have been traded.
Butler was first traded by the Chicago Bulls in 2017 to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
He was then quickly dealt by the Timberwolves to the Philadelphia 76ers in 2018.
Finally, Butler ended up with the Heat after being traded to them by the 76ers in 2019.
In the press conference, Riley did address Butler’s desire for a contract extension.
This from May 6:
Additionally, Riley addressed the topic of a potential contract extension for Butler, revealing that there haven’t been substantial internal discussions within the front office regarding such a move. While trade talks haven’t been entertained, Riley indicated that the Heat have until 2025 to deliberate on any extension offers.
Regarding Butler’s reported desire for a two-year extension valued at $113 million, Riley remained tight-lipped about any negotiations, emphasizing that Miami hasn’t yet engaged in earnest discussions on the matter. However, he outright dismissed the notion of trading Butler due to his contract situation, signaling a commitment to retaining the star player for the foreseeable future.
