After weeks of conflicting reports, Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler has officially made it clear by requesting a trade. Butler joined the Heat in 2019. Since then, he led Miami to two NBA Finals appearances and was an MVP candidate. Though he helped usher in a new era of Heat basketball, it seems that his days in Miami are numbered. There have been separate reports suggesting what led to Butler requesting a trade. One surprising reason? The Boston Celtics (indirectly, at least).
On Friday’s episode of First Take, Charania shed some more light on Butler’s trade request and the reasoning behind it. The main point Charania made was Miami’s lack of activity in each of the two offseasons since their most recent NBA Finals appearance. Boston, who Miami defeated in the 2023 conference finals, acquired Kristaps Porziņģis and Jrue Holiday that summer. Both players helped the Celtics win their record-setting 18th title in franchise history.
Shams reports Jimmy Butler has urged the Heat to get help the last 3 years
“The last 3 summers Butler has urged the Heat from my understanding to make moves…. Bring in another star around him and the Heat have not done so… The Celtics went and got Jrue, KP, the Heat didn’t get… pic.twitter.com/bLs5gsvsJG
— Emo Jimmy (@HeatCulture13) January 3, 2025
“For the last three summers, Jimmy Butler has urged the Heat, from my understanding, to make moves to elevate the roster, improve the roster. Bring in another star around him and the Heat have not done so… [The Celtics] went and got Jrue Holiday [and] Kristaps Porzingis. The Heat didn’t get anyone,” Charania said.
Furthermore, the Celtics went on to defeat the Heat in the first round of last season’s playoffs, though Butler was out for the entire series.
How the Boston Celtics Indirectly Forced Jimmy Butler’s Trade Request
Where Jimmy Butler May Go From Here
It seems close to inevitable that the Heat will move on from Butler at some point. This is especially true since the expectation is that Butler will decline his player option in the offseason. If he remains with the Heat past this year’s trade deadline, there is no reason to believe he would sign a new deal to stick around. It could be in Miami’s best interest to trade him this season instead of losing him for nothing when he becomes a free agent.
As for potential trade destinations, there are a few teams linked to Butler. This includes the Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, and Phoenix Suns.
The Last Word
Butler will remain a player to monitor until February’s trade deadline. It seems that the Heat may have no choice but to trade him. However, a lot can happen between now and the deadline. Additionally, we have seen plenty of crazy and unexpected things happen in the league. Regardless, the Heat are playing some decent basketball. They are 17-15 and own the No. 6 seed in the East. Additionally, they rank as the 11th-best offensive and 10th-best defensive team in the NBA. As it stands, they seem destined for another postseason appearance. Whether Butler will be with the team during their run remains to be seen.
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