ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Tuesday that the Miami Heat are now listening to offers for veteran forward Jimmy Butler and willing to make a deal if the proposal is reasonable. However, a league source confirmed Thursday that Butler has never asked to be traded, and the Heat are not aggressively shopping him.
NBA Rumors: Jimmy Butler Never Asked To Be Traded; Miami Heat Are Not Shopping Him
Bernie Lee, Butler’s agent, also confirmed this information in a series of posts on X. Ergo, did NBA insiders get this story all wrong? Heat owner Micky Arison just reposted Lee’s statement saying the latest reports on Butler from Charania are false. It appears Miami is also denying they are open to trading Butler.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do because I’m a middle-aged dad but just know it would indicate severe dislike. All this is fabricated,” Lee posted. “I have never and honestly it wouldn’t help me or the position I represent to do anything that’s been reported by said ‘journalist.’”
Shams this is your opportunity to say my bad “I let chat GPT write my tweets and it went old school Peter Vescey..” (Shams Peter was a writer in the 90’s) be a trend setter.. invent the new I was hacked. Carry on all. Thank you. https://t.co/1KOXza9kUI
— Bernard Lee (@BernieoLee) December 11, 2024
I don’t know what I’m going to do because I’m a middle aged dad but just know it would indicate severe dislike. World… all this is fabricated. I have never and honestly it wouldn’t help me or the position I represent to do anything that’s been reported by said “journalist” https://t.co/1KOXza9SKg
— Bernard Lee (@BernieoLee) December 11, 2024
In another post responding to Charania’s reports, he wrote: “Shams this is your opportunity to say my bad ‘I let chat GPT write my tweets and it went old school Peter Vecsey.’ (Shams Peter was a writer in the 90’s) be a trend setter.. invent the new I was hacked. Carry on all. Thank you.”
Lee let it be known when asked what has frustrated him the most in recent days.
“Anything associated to Jimmy’s position and using my name as the tool to cement a headline,” Lee told the Miami Herald. “Jimmy’s job is to perform at his job to the best of his many abilities and to drive that team to win.
“As of today, Jimmy analytically grades out as approximately the sixth-eighth best player in the NBA. … He’s doing his job, really well, and that is the focus, which in turn makes it my focus.”
Shams Charania Doubled Down On His Report During NBA Countdown
As for Butler, it seems the six-time All-Star is just focused on basketball right now.
“I actually like it,” Butler said Wednesday afternoon when asked about being at the center of the rumor mill. “It’s good to be talked about. I don’t think there’s such a thing as bad publicity, to a point. But if somebody is talking about me getting traded, that’s a lot.”
Charania said Tuesday that Butler is open to the Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, and Golden State Warriors, and he mentioned a fourth team on Wednesday: the Phoenix Suns.
Heat owner Micky Arison retweeting his thoughts on the Jimmy Butler “rumors.” pic.twitter.com/d7fFvHsy6g
— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) December 12, 2024
Shams doubled down on his report during NBA Countdown, saying to keep a “very close eye” on the Suns in the Butler sweepstakes. Even if Lee’s information is true, no one really knows what Butler wants. It’s pure speculation at this point.
The latest case in point is a league source recently informing Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald that Butler’s plan is to finish the season with the Heat and become a free agent next summer.
Assuming a trade never happens, Butler could still sign a max contract with Miami or another team in 2025. Although the Heat declined to quickly give Butler a max extension this past summer, things could potentially change in the months ahead.
