Report: Jimmy Butler Grew Frustrated With Lack Of Moves; Heat No Closer To Trade

January 15, 2025

Apparently, Jimmy Butler hasn’t always been satisfied with the moves — or lack thereof — made by the Miami Heat, multiple NBA reports suggest.

Butler is finishing up his seven-game suspension, given to him by the Heat themselves, and the trade rumors continue to buzz. The Heat have admitted they’re looking for takers.

As for past attempts, well, those didn’t go quite as well as hoped. Or anything close. And per James Jackson of The Athletic, that seemed to make Butler feel distanced from the franchise.

“A source close to Butler said he has been at odds with the front office over making necessary moves to deliver the Heat their first NBA championship since 2013,” Jackson wrote. “During Butler’s five-plus seasons with Miami, he has led two NBA Finals runs and came one bucket shy of securing a third berth in the title round. In 2023, the Heat became only the second No. 8 seed to reach the finals (1999 New York Knicks).

“But frustrations over other contenders being more aggressive — the defending Boston Celtics acquiring Kristaps Porziņģis and Jrue Holiday, the Milwaukee Bucks traded for Damian Lillard — have left Butler disappointed with the Heat seemingly not being as ambitious the source said.”

Meanwhile, Miami seems not at all close to a Butler trade, with the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline right around the corner.

“Well, the problem is that they’ve had conversations with a number of teams, I’m told, and they don’t have a trade that’s even close to being finalized,” said ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. “They don’t like any of the options on the table. So, what do you do when you don’t have a trade? You keep going and wait for something to develop.

“The thing is, they didn’t suspend Jimmy Butler for saying he wanted to be traded. They partially suspended him for the way he was playing. If Butler’s position hasn’t changed and they suspended him because of his effort, which they felt wasn’t at full power, then how do you bring him back?”