So far, Jimmy Butler has been successful with the Miami Heat.
In his five seasons with the team, they reached the NBA Finals twice, made it to the Conference Finals three times, and qualified for the playoffs annually.
However, according to Howard Beck, a prominent sports journalist from The Ringer, Butler is predicted to be traded during this offseason, marking an end to his tenure in Miami. Beck writes, “There are obvious reasons why Jimmy Butler will be dealt. Front-office executives have been discussing this for months. Butler, turning 35, has one year left on his contract and reportedly seeks a two-year, $113 million extension. If the Heat want to re-sign him, they’ll have little flexibility to add another star player. And they desperately need one.”
Given Butler’s advancing age, the Heat would struggle to accommodate a big-name signing if they were to splurge. Despite this, it might be premature to assume they require additional stars, as their playoff shortcomings this year could be attributed to the absence of Butler and Tyler Herro. In the past two seasons, the Heat haven’t showcased their full strength during crunch time, with Herro injured in the 2023 Finals.
“Beck explains,” Butler led Miami to the Finals twice in five seasons, but a team centered around Butler and Bam Adebayo isn’t enough to compete with the Celtics, Bucks, or 76ers in the East. Pat Riley is known for trading stars before their decline, and at this point, Butler would be more valuable as a second or third option for another team than as Miami’s top dog. This is a prime time for a move.”