NBA Insider Predicts Miami Heat Will Trade Jimmy Butler This Offseason

Shandel Richardson | Jun 21, 2024

Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

So far, Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat have been the perfect marriage.

They have made two trips to the NBA Finals, three appearances in the conference finals and qualified for the playoffs in each of his five seasons. The only thing missing is the Larry O'Brien trophy.

But is it time to give up on Butler? At least one NBA insider thinks so.

The Ringer's Howard Beck predicts Butler will be traded this offseason, ending his run with the Heat.

 "Jimmy Butler will be traded," Beck wrote. "Rival executives have been buzzing about it for months, for all the obvious reasons. Butler is about to turn 35 (with a lot of hard miles and a lot of injuries), with one year left on his Heat contract, and is reportedly seeking a two-year, $113 million extension. If the Heat grant it, they’ll have little to no flexibility to add another star. And they absolutely need one."

Beck is right. Butler isn't getting any younger and the Heat will have no room for another star if they hand out a big extension. Still, it may be premature to think they need more because they were without Butler and Terry Rozier during the playoffs.

The Heat have yet to showcase their full roster when it counted in each of the last two seasons (Tyler Herro was hurt during the 2023 Finals run). But Beck is set on the Heat moving on from Butler.

"Credit Butler for powering Miami to two Finals in five seasons," Beck said. "But a team built around Butler and Bam Adebayo isn’t enough to challenge the Celtics, Bucks, or Sixers in the East. Pat Riley is known for moving off his high-priced players before they fall off a cliff. And Butler at this stage would be much more valuable as a second or third option on a contender than as the top dog in Miami. This feels like the right time for a pivot."

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Inside The Heat. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com