Our Clients:

Field Level Media - Professional sports content solutions | FLM

Jan 3, 2025 12:26 pm

Reports: Jimmy Butler asks Heat for a trade

jimmy butler

Disgruntled guard Jimmy Butler has made his trade request to the Miami Heat official, multiple media outlets reported.

The trade deadline is Feb. 6.

The Athletic reported Friday that Butler doesn’t intend to give the Heat a list of desired teams, just wanting out of Miami.

Butler and the Heat could be headed for a stalemate, however. As rumors swirled that Butler wanted a trade, team president Pat Riley issued a statement Dec. 26 stating he had no intention of shipping the six-time All-Star out of town.

“We usually don’t comment on rumors, but all this speculation has become a distraction to the team and is not fair to the players and coaches,” Riley said. “Therefore, we will make it clear — We are not trading Jimmy Butler.”

Butler told reporters after Miami’s 128-115 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Thursday that basketball isn’t fun for him anymore.

“I want to see me getting my joy back playing basketball. Wherever that may be, we’ll find out here pretty soon,” Butler said. “I’m happy here off the court, but I want to be back to somewhat dominant, I want to hoop and I want to help this team win, and right now I’m not doing it.”

Could Butler, 35, find that on-court happiness again in Miami?

“Probably not,” he said.

ESPN reported that Butler asked for the trade after team officials implied he hadn’t given an all-out effort on Wednesday in a 119-108 win over the New Orleans Pelicans — his first game since Dec. 20 due to an illness. He scored nine points in 25 minutes, similar to his game against the Pacers (nine points, 27 minutes).

In his sixth season with the Heat, Butler is averaging 17.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 22 games.

The Heat are his fourth team, following stays with the Chicago Bulls, Minnesota Timberwolves and Philadelphia 76ers. He was the MVP of the Eastern Conference Finals in 2022-23 when the Heat beat the Boston Celtics in seven games.

In 836 career games (731 starts), Butler has averages of 18.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists.

–Field Level Media

You may also like

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Jan 16, 2025 10:08 pm

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder romp over Cavaliers

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 40 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 134-114 home win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday. The game was a marquee matchup between the…

phoenix suns
Jan 16, 2025 10:06 pm

Devin Booker (37 points) pushes Suns past Wizards

Devin Booker scored 37 points and Washington, D.C., native Kevin Durant added 23, fueling the visiting Phoenix Suns to a 130-123 wire-to-wire victory over the reeling Wizards on Thursday. Booker…

penny hardaway
Jan 16, 2025 9:54 pm

Jamal Mashburn Jr., Temple upset No. 18 Memphis

Jamal Mashburn Jr. scored 21 points Thursday night to lead five players in double figures as Temple upset No. 18 Memphis 88-81 in an American Athletic Conference game in Philadelphia….

More Basketball News

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Jan 16, 2025 10:08 pm

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder romp over Cavaliers

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 40 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 134-114 home win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday. The game was a marquee matchup between the…

phoenix suns
Jan 16, 2025 10:06 pm

Devin Booker (37 points) pushes Suns past Wizards

penny hardaway
Jan 16, 2025 9:54 pm

Jamal Mashburn Jr., Temple upset No. 18 Memphis

pacers
Jan 16, 2025 9:47 pm

Pacers turn back Pistons’ comeback attempt

michigan basketball
Jan 16, 2025 9:39 pm

Minnesota’s Dawson Garcia drills OT winner to beat No. 20 Michigan

Read all
fb-post
advertisment
title-icon

Upcoming events

See all odds