A little more than a week after Miami Heat president Pat Riley declared the team will not trade Jimmy Butler, the Heat said on Friday that “Jimmy Butler and his representative have indicated that they wish to be traded, therefore, we will listen to offers.”
In the same news release, the Heat announced they have suspended Butler seven games for “multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team over the course of the season and particularly the last several weeks.’
‘Through his actions and statements, he has shown he no longer wants to be part of this team,’ the Heat added.
Butler remains a productive two-way player even though he has a diminished role with the Heat this season. Butler averages 17.6 points on 55.2% shooting, and the Heat are better with Butler on the court than when he’s not in the game, according to NBA.com on/off-court statistics.
Trading Butler’s $48.7 million contract for 2024-25 isn’t easy, but unless a player has a no-trade clause, no contract is untradeable.
Here are five potential landing spots for Butler:
Golden State Warriors
Ranked No. 18 in offensive efficiency, the Warriors need help on that end, and Butler can provide that with his ability to score with efficiency and pass. His defense could make a strong defensive team (tied for No. 6) even better, depending on the trade.
The Warriors, who would like to contend for another title with Steph Curry and Draymond Green, just acquired Dennis Schroder from Brooklyn and can trade him in a package with other players, starting Feb. 4.
Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies are back among the top teams in the West – 23-11 and in second place, a half game ahead of Houston and 5½ games behind Oklahoma City.
Memphis has a good thing going – it is the only team that ranks in the top five in offensive and defensive efficiency. The Grizzlies need to be mindful of disrupting chemistry, but a player with Butler’s playoff experience is valuable.
Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks lost to Boston in last season’s Finals and added Klay Thompson in the offseason. However, Dallas is 20-14 and in a virtual tie for fourth place with Denver in the West. The Mavericks are 4-6 in their past 10 games and have lost three consecutive games.
Denver Nuggets
It’s no secret the 19-13 Nuggets, who won the title in 2023, want to improve the roster and reduce some of three-time MVP Nikola Jokic’s offensive duties. Could Butler be the answer?
New York Knicks
How close are the Knicks to a title? They had a huge offseason, acquiring Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges. They are 24-10, a game behind second-place Boston and 5½ games behind first-place Cleveland. But would Riley and the Heat trade Butler not only to another Eastern Conference team, but to the team Riley used to coach and left for the Heat three decades ago?