Five years after arriving from Philadelphia, Jimmy Butler’s time with the Miami Heat may be running thin according to The Athletic’s David Aldridge.
“There are signs — subtle ones, because it’s Miami — that era could be nearing a tipping point.”
NBA insider David Aldridge on Miami Heat Jimmy Butler trade rumors
While the 2024 NBA Playoffs were marred by Butler’s absence, there’s no guarantee the Heat would have gotten past the Eastern Conference’s best team in the Boston Celtics, even if the All-NBA star swingman was healthy.
The Heat are always contenders, but backing into the postseason as the No. 8 seed two years in a row doesn’t exactly instill confidence, and Butler, 34, isn’t getting any younger.
Instead of trying and failing to complement Bam Adebayo and Butler with a highly-coveted third star this offseason, would the Heat possibly consider using their aging All-Star as trade bait?
“There have been murmurings this year that Butler and the Heat may no longer be singing from the same hymnal. Butler, famously, does things his way, and Miami’s organization, famously, does not brook much individualism.”
Aldridge, continued
If the Heat really are debating pulling the plug on the Butler experiment, you can bet there would be widespread interest in the two-way standout. All NBA teams could use more defenders who can hit an open shot, and Butler is one of the best all-around players in the game, even if he’s getting a bit long in the tooth.
Teams like the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks come to mind based on their past ties alone, but several others would likely come calling it Jimmy Butler really did hit the trade block.
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