The Miami Heat find themselves at a crossroads with forward Jimmy Butler.
Late Thursday night, ESPN's Shams Charania and Brian Windhorst reported that Butler had signaled to the Heat that he wanted a trade. That followed a press conference where Butler said he probably would not be able to rediscover his joy for basketball with Miami.
It would appear that tensions between Butler and the Heat have reached the point of no return—a sentiment echoed early Friday by TNT analyst Charles Barkley.
"This is one of the worst-kept secrets in the world," Barkley said on Inside the NBA. "This thing's been over."
"This is one of the worst kept secrets in the world. This thing's BEEN over." 👀
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) January 3, 2025
The guys in Studio J react to Jimmy Butler wanting a trade 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/v8f814UXDZ
Miami is in playoff position at 17–15, but Butler has not been his usual self. The six-time All-Star is averaging just 17.6 points per game—his lowest scoring average since 2014.
"[Heat president] Pat Riley, who's arguably the greatest ever, he's not gonna pay Jimmy Butler," Barkley said. "Jimmy Butler's upset. Jimmy's got a $55 million option for next year... Pat Riley let Dwyane Wade go past his prime. He's not gonna pay Jimmy Butler."
"I know from personal experience you can't bicker with Pat Riley," fellow analyst Shaquille O'Neal said. "If Jimmy wants a trade, he'll be traded."
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Charles Barkley Declares Jimmy Butler's Heat Career 'Over' After Trade Request.
