Nets Reportedly Out On Jimmy Butler Trade

Butler was previously rumored to have significant interest in joining Brooklyn, but those ideas have been put to bed.

Nov 16, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) drives to the basket as Brooklyn Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith (28) defends in the first half at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

The Brooklyn Nets and Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler had been previously linked before the start of the 2024-25 season. Butler was showing legitimate interest in the Nets after not signing a contract extension with the Heat over the summer, and reports indicated that his interest in Brooklyn was "very real."

However, reports have shifted now that NBA trade season is right around the corner. According to Quinn Allen of HoopsHype, Butler to Brooklyn is no longer in the cards.

“Towards the start of the season, the Brooklyn Nets and Golden State Warriors were among the teams linked to Jimmy Butler, per reports," Allen wrote. "While Butler has drawn interest from the Nets in past years, he’s not viewed as a fit for Brooklyn’s rebuilding timeline at 35, league sources told HoopsHype.”

Butler would have been traded to a team that is currently shopping multiple players on the roster, making "just about everyone" available for trade. That includes star guard Cam Thomas, along with Nets veterans who have been rumored to be shipped out for months.

It makes sense, as the Nets are expected to be heavy sellers, not buyers. Butler is 35 years old, so there's no reason to go after a star that wants to win now. Brooklyn actively shopping players like Cameron Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Dennis Schroder means that the team is focused on its rebuild.

Butler would be better suited with a contender like Golden State, as mentioned earlier. He could also end up staying in Miami, as the Heat are 9-10 but currently sit at the seventh seed in a weak Eastern Conference.

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