Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat have been embroiled in an ugly battle this season and it’s off the court.
Butler wants a new home, and Phoenix is a possible destination, but he and the Heat can’t see eye to eye.
Butler signed with Miami in 2019 after being traded from the Philadelphia 76ers and has been the face of the franchise ever since.
During his time in South Beach, Butler led his team to two finals appearances and has averaged at least 20 points per game in four of the last five years.
But now, the 6x All-Star is currently serving his third suspension by the Heat, and this time it’s indefinite.
“The Suspension is due to a continued pattern of disregard of team rules, engaging in conduct detrimental to the team and intentionally withholding services. This includes walking out of practice earlier today,” wrote the team on its media page
At this point it appears that Butler has played his last NBA game in a Miami Heat uniform as the relationships between the two seem beyond repair.
There have been rumblings about Butler heading to Golden State or Phoenix, which would be a boost to both teams, but the signals are mixed.
Despite the Warriors showing interest in Butler, it’s been rumored that he won’t commit to the organization long term.
While it appears there’s no interest to commit to Golden State long term, there are reports that he would make that commitment to Phoenix despite them being 10th in the Western conference of the NBA.
If that happens, he would join superstars Devin Booker and Kevin Durant in the desert.
Although Butler has been an amazing and highly decorated player for years, there weren’t many teams reaching out for his services.
So where will he end up, and what will Miami be willing to trade for him?
Butler is going into the final guaranteed year of his current contract and is looking at a $52 million player opt in.
That’s a hefty sum for a team to pay a 35-year-old player.
With the trade deadline happening tis Thursday, February 3rd at 3pm, both parties remain sour on their relationship, and as a result, not much movement has been made.
If the Suns really want Jimmy Butler, they will need to move quickly. Adding him to a team that has Durant and Booker would be great and should elevate them in the standings.
If the deal with the Suns doesn’t work, the Warriors might still be in play.
But no matter what, time is of the essence for everyone involved.
