Earlier this week, reports emerged that the Heat were willing to offload Jimmy Butler before the trade deadline, ending his five-and-a-year stint with the franchise. The forward is reportedly open to leaving the team and joining the Warriors, Rockets, or Mavericks. Neither the player nor the team commented on the validity of the reports. However, the six-time All-Star finally broke his silence and his comments suggest there’s some truth to them.
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The Miami Herald’s Anthony Chaing asked the forward about the rumors of his exit from Miami. He refused to answer the question and claimed he wasn’t paying attention to them. But when asked if he expected to be with the Heat, he expressed doubts, saying,
“Who knows?”
NEW: Heat’s Jimmy Butler addresses trade speculation: “It doesn’t bother me one bit” https://t.co/CAvitcteDr When asked about his long-term future with the Heat, Butler said today: “Who knows?”
— Anthony Chiang (@Anthony_Chiang) December 11, 2024
Butler’s contract with the Heat is set to expire in 2026. But he has a player option for the final year of his deal and is expected to opt out of it and demand a massive extension. Miami isn’t too keen on handing out a huge contract to the 35-year-old forward and prefers parting ways with him before he becomes a free agent in the summer.
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The six-time All-Star is seemingly enjoying being linked with a move away from Miami. When asked about his name being brought up in trade talks, he said,
“I actually like it. It’s good to be talked about. I don’t think there’s such a thing as bad publicity to a point. But if somebody is talking about me getting traded, that’s a lot.”
Butler isn’t too stressed about the future and is instead focusing on playing well, which is the only thing he can control.
Butler considers more than money
The veteran is keen on signing a contract extension and securing his future. However, it’s not his top priority. Instead, he has a list of things he’s more concerned about than securing a max contract. He said,
“My kids matter, my happiness matters, my well-being matters and my family matters. Right now, it’s all about competing, staying healthy, playing some great basketball. I think I’ve done that so far, so we’ll see what we got.”
Butler has had a terrific career but he wants to cap it off with a championship or at least spend what’s left in the tank playing for a team that competes for it. His tenacity and competitive spirit are the hallmarks of his game. He still has a fire within him to compete against the best and he’ll continue playing until it’s burning bright.
