Miami Heat Make Blunt Statement About Former Philadelphia 76ers Star

The Miami Heat claim they aren't moving on from former Philadelphia 76ers star Jimmy Butler.

Nov 18, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) protects the basketball from Philadelphia 76ers guard Kyle Lowry (7) during the second quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Over the last few weeks, the Miami Heat have been one of the most frequently-mentioned NBA franchises in the trade rumor market. With former Philadelphia 76ers star Jimmy Butler potentially wanting out, a lot of conflicting reports have surfaced over time.

As the situation reached new heights on Christmas Day, Miami executive Pat Riley decided to officially address the trade rumors head-on.

On Thursday, Riley released a blunt statement.

"We usually don't comment on rumors, but all this speculation has become a distraction to the team and is not fair to the players and coaches. Therefore, we will make it clear - We are not trading Jimmy Butler."

Statement from Pat Riley

"We usually don't comment on rumors, but all this speculation has become a distraction to the team and is not fair to the players and coaches. Therefore, we will make it clear - We are not trading Jimmy Butler."

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) December 26, 2024

Since the 2024 offseason, Butler has been a rumored trade candidate. Prior to the opening of free agency, the Sixers were rumored to have eyes on Butler, as Joel Embiid would’ve reportedly welcomed a reunion.

When free agency opened, the 76ers spent on Tyrese Maxey’s extension and Paul George’s new max deal after he declined an option with the Los Angeles Clippers. By the time the 2024-2025 NBA season tipped off, the Butler rumors faded. Now that they are back, several teams are rumored to have Butler on their radar, but the Sixers are not one of them.

Miami doesn’t intend to trade Butler, according to Riley, but an ESPN report suggested Butler prefers to be moved. If he does get a say in the matter, he’s rumored to have eyes on the Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, and Houston Rockets.

A deal including Butler to one of these teams could be a big shakeup in the East. With Butler, the Heat have consistently posed a threat in the Eastern Conference. It appears the Heat aren’t quite there yet, though.