Jimmy Butler reportedly won’t seek extension with Heat, still wants to be traded

Jimmy Butler reportedly told Miami Heat team president Pat Riley in a face-to-face meeting last week that he still wants to be traded, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

In that conversation, Butler reportedly told Riley that he won’t sign an extension and will only use his $52 million player option for the 2025-26 season this summer as a way to help a trade along.

The Butler saga began when it was reported last month that the 35-year-old wants a change of scenery and prefers to be moved by the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline. Butler and the Heat were unable to come to terms on a contract extension this past summer.

The Christmas Day news led to Riley issuing a statement saying clearly, “We are not trading Jimmy Butler.”

While speaking to reporters a week later, Butler said, “I want to see me get my joy back from playing basketball and wherever that may be, we’ll find out pretty soon. I want to get my joy back. I’m happy here off the court, but I want to be back to somewhat dominant, I want to hoop and I want to help this team win. Right now, I’m not doing that.”

On Jan. 3, the Heat suspended Butler for seven games for “conduct detrimental to the team over the course of the season and particularly the last several weeks” and changed course, saying they would listen to trade offers.

Butler is eligible to return to the Heat on Thursday, a day before they play their first home game following a six-game road trip. They are currently 20-18 and in seventh place in the Eastern Conference. They have gone 3-3 in Butler’s absence

Butler, who is in the final year of a contract that pays him $49 million this season, is averaging 17.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.2 steals in 22 games. The seven-game suspension will cost him $2.35 million in salary, but the NBA Players Association field a grievance and released a statement calling the discipline “excessive and inappropriate.”