Rumors of Jimmy Butler and the Heat’s divorce have been swirling for nearly a month. But on Christmas Day, NBA insider Shams Charania confirmed that the forward wants to leave. Given that the team and the player want to mutually part ways before the trade deadline in February, he’d likely sit out of games before he’s traded.
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So, Butler, who has missed the Heat’s last two games, is again doubtful for the game against the Magic on Thursday night. According to the team’s injury report, the official reason is a return to competition and conditioning. However, those are seemingly excuses. The veteran forward has likely played his last game for Miami.
Butler and the Heat have been growing apart for months. It all commenced when Pat Riley spoke against him during a press conference. Later Butler and Miami failed to reach a contract extension. The six-time All-Star can opt out of his current deal in the 2025 offseason and become a free agent. The two sides discussed the terms of a new deal but didn’t reach an agreement.
The Heat weren’t keen on losing him for nothing and began shopping him around the league, but Butler stayed quiet about the whole ordeal and instead focused on trying to help his struggling team climb up the Eastern Conference ladder. But with their divorce imminent, they now have seemingly agreed to maintain distance until he leaves.
Neither the player nor the franchise would want to risk him getting injured and jeopardize his exit. Butler and the Heat have been synonymous with each other since his arrival in Miami in 2018. He led the team to two surprise trips to the NBA Finals, coming up short in both.
Butler was keen on staying in Miami and leaving with a championship. However, he never had the right tools around him and with the team penny-pinching on a new deal, he has no incentive to stay. It’s a sad but familiar story.
