Report: ‘Loud Whispers’ Jimmy Butler’s Future Might Not Be With Heat

According to NBA insider John Hollinger of The Athletic, there are “loud whispers” that Jimmy Butler‘s future might not be with the Miami Heat. 

Butler is extension-eligible this summer and the small forward wants a max offer from the Heat. 

“Butler is extension-eligible, but between his declining play this season and the constant absences, there are increasingly loud whispers that his future might not be in Miami,” Hollinger wrote. “The Heat openly talking about Bam Adebayo as the keeper of the #HeatCulture flame and not mentioning Butler as much is another notable point.”

Butler will make $48.8 million next season. He has a player option worth $52.4 million for the 2025-26 season. 

The Heat lost to the Boston Celtics in the first round of the 2024 playoffs in five games. Butler missed the entire series due to a knee injury. 

Butler joined the Heat in the summer of 2019 via a sign-and-trade deal with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Miami lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2020 NBA Finals, lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the 2021 playoffs, lost in the 2023 conference finals to the Celtics, lost to the Denver Nuggets in the 2023 NBA Finals and lost to the Celtics in this year’s playoffs. 

“One wonders if a more plausible endgame is a trade of Butler himself; moving his $48.8 million for next season would pare down an expensive roster and perhaps supplement it with additional pieces,” Hollinger wrote. “Already, the youth cupboard isn’t bare with Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Nikola Jović, plus the Heat’s machine-like player development system turning random two-way dudes into playoff monsters. This could help kick-start a stealth rebuild around Adebayo and Tyler Herro.”

Butler averaged 20.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists this season while shooting 49.9% from the field, 41.4% from beyond the arc and 85.8% from the free-throw line. He turns 35 in September. 

A six-time All-Star, Butler has career averages of 18.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists with the Chicago Bulls, Minnesota Timberwolves, Sixers and Heat.