Jimmy Butler Trade Rumors: Latest news, Butler suspension, top destinations, Warriors not in chase

Jimmy Butler trade rumors are flying around at warp speed around NBA social media. That’s fun. However, actual meaningful action towards a Butler trade is not moving fast at all. Let’s break down where things stand with Butler.

Heat suspend Butler seven games, open trade talks

Jimmy Butler went out and tried to quiet quit on the Heat, which was plainly evident against the Pacers last Thursday — nine points, questionable effort, and I think we all enjoyed the one-legged 3-point attempt. After that game, Butler said, “I want to see me getting my joy back playing basketball. Wherever that may be.” Then said it’s not going to be in Miami. He and his agent demanded a trade from Miami.

Rather than let things start to trend like Butler in Minnesota — where he was such a distraction to the team he forced a trade — Pat Riley and the Heat stepped in with a seven-game suspension for Butler.

The NBA players’ union is going to appeal this suspension and likely will get Butler back some (if not all) of the $2.35 million he would lose during the suspension. However, the appeal process is not speedy and will not get Butler back on the team anytime soon. Instead, he can focus on his new coffee shop.

The real key from that Heat statement: They are listening to trade offers again.

What do Heat want in Butler trade?

As little long-term money as possible and win-now players over young players or picks. What the Heat want most when this trade is done is flexibility going forward, not to be anchored down by another long-term big contract.

The challenge is Butler is making $48.8 million this season with a player option for $52.4 million next season — and the 35-year-old wants an extension (he could opt out of next season’s contract and sign for two years, $112.6 million, taking him to his age 37 season).

To trade for Butler means either teams have to send another expensive player back to Miami — as Phoenix has suggested with Bradley Beal (which is going nowhere, read below) — or a team will have to trade four or five players to make it work (which is what Golden State would have to do, which is one reason they are not in pursuit of Butler). Neither of those options thrills Miami.

Finding a deal that works for Miami and the other team involved in the trade is challenging. Plenty of people around the league are not convinced a trade will be completed before the deadline.

What happened between Jimmy Butler and Pat Riley?

This entire saga is all about the money. Don’t pretend it’s about anything else.

Things fell apart between Butler and the Heat when Butler wanted to discuss a contract extension after last season, ideally with him opting out of his $52.4 million for next season to get two years, $112.6 million. Pat Riley emphatically shot that down when talking after last season.

“That’s a big decision on our part to commit those kinds of resources unless you have somebody who’s going to be there and available every single night. That’s the truth,” Riley said. Butler played 60 games last season and was out for the team’s playoff series against the Celtics.

It’s that simple: Butler wants to get paid, the Heat don’t want to do it, and so Butler wants a trade.

How old is Jimmy Butler?

He is 35 years old and will turn 36 before training camp opens next season. This is his 14th season in the league.

Latest Jimmy Butler trade rumors and news

Despite all this drama, the odds that Butler gets traded before Feb. 6 are not nearly as high as people think — the offers coming into Miami are lowball, something that has been true for a while and echoed by Brian Windhorst at ESPN. To use his example, the Heat could follow the Clippers’ blueprint with Paul George — the sides couldn’t reach a deal, no trades developed, so the Clippers let him walk. Remember Riley’s Heat have let franchise icons like Dwyane Wade and Alonzo Mourning leave over money, they will do the same with Butler without question.

What we know for sure is Riley is not going to trade Butler for scraps or take back a bad contract.

Top Butler destinations

This list just keeps getting shorter. The teams that are calling the Heat are making lowball offers right now.

Golden State Warriors not interested

It makes sense on a surface level: The Golden State Warriors are looking for a star, shot-creating, two-way player they can put next to Stephen Curry. Butler is available. Yet according to a report at The Athletic, the Warriors are not in the Jimmy Butler mix for three reasons: Butler’s age, his injury history and price tag (the Warriors would have to send out either Draymond Green or Andrew Wiggins, plus Jonathan Kuminga and at least two more players).

What the Warriors are thinking echoes what a lot of teams are thinking.

Phoenix Suns

If one team is not lowballing the Heat and is making a genuine offer, it’s the Phoenix Suns — and their owner Mat Ishbia said he would give Butler a massive extension.

The problem: The Suns’ offer is Bradley Beal. He is a worse player than Butler (Beal is about to be bounced from the starting lineup in Phoenix) and, more than that, is owed more than $100 million over the next two seasons. He is exactly the kind of contract the Heat do not want.

The only other way the Suns can make this trade work is to put Devin Booker or Kevin Durant in the deal instead of Beal, and Phoenix isn’t stupid.

Houston Rockets

This is the one team where constructing the trade is easy — Houston has a lot of young players and picks, plus tradable salary — and Butler is a Houston native who would love to go home and lead a young team. Except, the Rockets want no part of this (or any big trade before the deadline). Here’s Rockets General Manager Raphel Stone on SiriusXM NBA radio:

“We like this team. We definitely do not intend to change anything and I would be shocked if something changes this season. We like where we’re at. We want to continue to develop our guys, full stop. Will I listen to other teams? Of course I will, that’s my job. But again, there’s no part of me, there’s no part of our decision-making process that suggests that we’re looking to do anything big now or in the near term.”

Houston has a young core that is currently No. 2 in the West and is developing into something special. The Rockets’ front office will not break it apart for a 35-year-old player with an injury history. They are playing a longer game.