NBA YouTuber Raises Interesting Jimmy Butler Theory Following Suspension

Jake Elman | Jan 4, 2025

Dec 7, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) talks with official Dedric Taylor during a timeout in the second half against the Phoenix Suns at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Only a few weeks ago, Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler’s agent, Bernie Lee, disputed any reports of a possible trade or that Lee and Butler were hinting in league circles about where the latter wanted to play next.

That feels like years ago, especially after Butler requested a trade Thursday night.

Lee’s pushback was so interesting at the time because of his viral X (formerly Twitter) posts about ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania. He questioned Charania’s integrity and accused him of fabricating details regarding a potential Butler trade. 

You’re not alone if something doesn’t add up here. Popular NBA YouTuber Chris Smoove also feels this story lacks full details. 

A longtime YouTuber with over five million subscribers, Smoove posted a video Friday night discussing Butler’s seven-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team. As Smoove recalled, Charania cited sources when linking Butler to multiple Western Conference teams in December. 

“Maybe the source was actually Jimmy Butler, you never know,” Smoove speculated. “Because if the agent didn’t know, how did [Charania] know? Who told him? Why wouldn’t [Butler] tell his agent?

“What were they playing?” Smoove continued. “What were they doing out there behind the scenes?”

The theory is certainly an interesting one. Players and coaches leaking info directly to national reporters like Charania, Adam Schefter, and Ken Rosenthal is nothing new. NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport even recently revealed former Tennessee Titans coach Mike Mularkey gave him a fake scoop in early 2018. 

Smoove raises an interesting point, though. Charania’s reporting was eventually proven correct when Butler requested a trade Thursday night. If Butler was interested in exploring a way out of Miami ahead of the Feb. 6 deadline, why would Lee fight back so vigorously—and in a public way, no less?

Either way, don’t expect Charania to reveal his sources. Maybe an eventual tell-all book about how the Butler-Heat relationship crumbled will shed more light on the initial reporting.

Or, for all we know, Butler will reveal the truth after he inevitably leaves the Heat. Stranger things have happened.  

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Jake Elman works as a contributing writer to Miami Heat on SI. He can be reached at jakeelman97@gmail.com or follow him on X @JakeElman97.