Inside The Heat

NBA Insider Says There's An "Uptick" In Jimmy Butler Trade Discussions

Shandel Richardson

Jan 19, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) walks off the court after greeting court-side friends following the victory over the San Antonio Spurs at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
Jan 19, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) walks off the court after greeting court-side friends following the victory over the San Antonio Spurs at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
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Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler could get his wish sooner than later.

Earlier this month, Heat offered to grant Butler's request for a trade. After last Thursday's meeting with team management, ESPN Brian Windhorst reported the Heat are looking to move fast.

“Since Jimmy had his meeting with Micky Arison on Thursday, there is no doubt an uptick in (trade) discussions around Butler," Windhorst said on his podcast. "The Heat shifted into a new gear after that meeting."

It seems the Heat, Butler and fan base are ready to get this over soon as possible. There has been speculation of both sides being unhappy since last summer. The situation reached a boil when the Heat suspended Butler for seven games due to conduct detrimental to the team. On Friday, Butler made his return for the game against the Denver Nuggets at Kaseya Center.

While the Heat have to publicly directly comment on the situation, Butler made it clear he has issues with the front office. After the game, he said he loved his teammates but appeared to express disappointment with team president Pat Riley.

Butler is arguably one of the most successful players in Heat history. He's led them to the NBA Finals twice since arriving in 2019. The Heat lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020 and the Denver Nuggets in 2023.

Wherever Butler lands, it marks the fifth team of his career.

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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Shandel Richardson
SHANDEL RICHARDSON

Shandel has covered the NBA since 2010, with previous stops at The Athletic and South Florida Sun-Sentinel.  He has covered six NBA Finals, one Super Bowl, the NCAA basketball tournament. He has also been a beat writer for the Miami Hurricanes and contributed on every major beat in South Florida since 2003, including the Miami Dolphins and Miami Marlins. He can also be read in the Sportsbook Review for gambling coverage from around the NBA. A native of Bloomington, Illinois, Shandel attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. He's also worked for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Kansas City Star.  TWITTER: @ShandelRich EMAIL: shandelrich@gmail.com You can subscribe to our YouTube channel here Follow all of our Miami Heat coverage on Facebook here