For the last several weeks, NBA star Jimmy Butler has seemingly been engaged in a standoff with the Miami Heat after making it clear that he wants to be traded ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline.
He was suspended earlier this month for seven games due to conduct deemed detrimental to the team, and the Heat are planning to once again suspend him this week after he missed a team flight.
There hasn’t been much progress, if any, on trade negotiations between the Heat and other teams, but per NBACentral, a trade involving Butler could go down very soon.
In fact, four new teams — the Charlotte Hornets, Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards — could get involved in such a trade.
The Jimmy Butler trade could happen in the next few days, with potential teams such as the Hornets, Pistons, Raptors, and Wizards getting involved, per @VinceGoodwill
“There have been whispers of the Washington Wizards and Toronto Raptors getting involved as well, but it seems… pic.twitter.com/ginG9H2zFc
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) January 22, 2025
To this point, it was believed that the Phoenix Suns and perhaps the Golden State Warriors were the main contenders for Butler’s services, but the Suns haven’t been able to entice the Heat with a package that is attractive enough.
He’s averaging just 17.0 points a game this season, which is his lowest scoring average since the 2013-14 campaign, which was his third in the league, but perhaps some new surroundings could put some extra spring in his step.
He remains one of the deadliest players in crunch time, and he is a fiery leader who can galvanize his teammates.
At age 35, Butler has been to the NBA Finals twice, but his days as a star player are seemingly numbered, and the Heat are going nowhere with him, which makes a trade seem that much likelier in the coming days.
NEXT: Insider Reveals What He’s Hearing About Jimmy Butler’s Trade Request
