Why Mavericks, Warriors, and Suns Face Big Challenges in Trading for Jimmy Butler
The ongoing situation involving Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat has reached a critical point. The Heat announced on Friday that they were suspending Butler for seven games, starting with Saturday night’s match against the Utah Jazz, due to conduct that was detrimental to the team. The team also expressed their openness to trading the disgruntled six-time All-Star. In a statement, the Heat said, “We have suspended Jimmy Butler for seven games for multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team over the course of the season and particularly the last several weeks. Through his actions and statements, he has shown he no longer wants to be part of this team. Jimmy Butler and his representative have indicated that they wish to be traded, therefore, we will listen to offers.”
The suspension followed Butler’s candid comments after Thursday’s loss to the Indiana Pacers, where he managed only nine points in 27 minutes. He told reporters that he had lost his joy in playing basketball for the Heat: “I want to see me getting my joy back playing basketball. Wherever that may be, we’ll find out here pretty soon,” Butler said. “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, and right now I’m not doing it.” When asked if he could find that joy in Miami, Butler simply replied, “Probably not.”
The National Basketball Players Association has stated they will file a grievance challenging the suspension. Miami’s willingness to trade Butler is a marked shift from team president Pat Riley’s stance just a week ago, when he had indicated that the team had no intention of trading him. However, finding a viable trade package could be difficult.
According to ESPN NBA insider Bobby Marks, several of Butler’s reported preferred teams face significant challenges in making a trade happen. Marks reported, “Three out of the four teams on Butler’s preferred list — the Dallas Mavericks, the Golden State Warriors, and the Phoenix Suns — would need to trade a quarter of their roster. The Suns would need to have Bradley Beal waive his no-trade clause.” He added that the Heat are not interested in taking on Beal’s $110 million salary and that the Suns would need to involve a third team. The Warriors and Mavericks might also need to work with a third or fourth team to facilitate the trade. Marks further explained that Butler’s $48.8 million salary this season and the cap limitations imposed by certain team rules make any potential trade complex. The Heat are also restricted in how much salary they can take back from other teams because they are an apron team.
Butler, who has guided the Heat to two NBA Finals during his tenure, is now facing an uncertain future. He is currently averaging 17.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game in his 14th NBA Season.
