Inside The Heat

NBA World Stunned Luka Doncic Traded Before Jimmy Butler

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 dominated the NBA headlines for the past months because of his trade demands.

That all changed Saturday night.

The Los Angeles Lakers regained the spotlight after trading for Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, pairing him with LeBron James. The Mavericks acquired Anthony Davis. Fans around the league were shocked Doncic was traded before Butler.

The Heat and Butler have been engaged in a public feud since late December. Butler has been suspended three times for conduct detrimental to the team. He is currently suspended indefinitely. Butler has expressed disappointment with the way team president Pat Riley and coach Erik Spoelstra have handle the situation regarding his contract extension.

NBA Insider Rachel Nichols revealed that although the Heat's roster remains respectful during press conferences, they're fed up behind the scenes.

"Not only has he been such a problem for management," Nichols began on the Open Floor NBA Show. "I talked to guys in that locker room, and to say they have had it is an understatement because he has disrespected them so much the way he’s been in and out. 'Oh, last minute I'm not playing,' the way he’s been acting towards people in their locker room and staff or other people like that, and then the stunt with making them wait hours on the tarmac."

If anything, the Doncic news should allow the Heat to better focus on basketball instead of the attention surrounding Butler.

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