Jimmy Butler reportedly needs out of Miami, based on ESPN’s Shams Charania in a Christmas Day report. There’s some delicate phrasing in Charania’s story, saying that Butler has not ‘formally requested’ a commerce, however he’s believed to be ‘prepared for his exit.’
This follows a report from two weeks in the past, through Charania, that the Warmth had been ‘open to listening’ to presents concerning the six-time All-Star Butler, and that Butler hoped to be dealt to the Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors or the Phoenix Suns. That particular story led to some indignant on-line messages from Butler’s agent Bernie Lee, saying the report was ‘full and utter made up bullshit.’
If all of this feels a bit complicated – however but additionally acquainted – it ought to. There’s a historical past of ESPN’s high NBA newsbreaker dropping a bombshell report on Christmas Day.
In 2022 on Christmas, the recently-retired Adrian Wojnarowski stated that then-Philadelphia 76er James Harden was considering a return to the Houston Rockets. Harden did find yourself leaving the 76ers, not for Houston, however for the LA Clippers when he pressured his approach there in a commerce request.
A 12 months in a while December twenty fifth, Woj reported that Kevin Durant, in the course of his first full season with the Phoenix Suns, was feeling ‘pissed off’ on account of their underwhelming 14-15 begin. And that this was a scenario that the group needed to handle. Durant responded to Woj’s reporting, in an instagram comment to @_fatcheeze, saying that ‘individuals can flat out lie on my identify and make shit up.’ Durant remains to be at present a Solar, the place the staff nonetheless is an underwhelming 14-14 this season.
Laying all of this out isn’t to say that Woj, and now Charania, are inaccurately reporting commerce gossip in an effort to draw eyeballs to the Christmas Day sport. However there’s a constant sample of huge information approaching the NBA’s greatest day of normal season video games.
Our Ricky O’Donnell has a great breakdown of why the Jimmy Butler scenario is a troublesome one to navigate for not simply the Warmth, however the staff which will need to purchase the six-time All-Star. Butler is 35-years-old with a $52 million participant choice on the finish of this season, which Charania stories Butler’s aspect is letting groups know they’ll decline so Butler can grow to be a free agent. Matching salaries is rather more troublesome beneath the brand new CBA. And the groups that Butler needs to go to – contenders – are pressed up towards the second apron tighter than the 17 Christmas cookies I ate are to my abdomen.
The Warmth are 14-13 this season, with Butler contributing 18.5 factors, 4.9 assists, and 5.8 rebounds. Regardless of Butler’s superior age, he’s capturing 58% from 2-point vary this season, the best of his profession. The large query is whether or not the Warmth will worth gamers that may assist them this season (which the Warmth usually do worth) or in the event that they resolve to do a one season tank with a robust draft class and their choose coming again to them from the OKC Thunder if it falls within the lottery.
