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Jimmy Butler seems to be edging towards the Miami Heat exit door if recent rumors are accurate. The 35-year-old has a player option for next season, which he is expected to turn down in order to become a free agent. Of course, it would not make sense for the Heat to risk seeing Butler walk out of South Beach for nothing. That makes trading him mid-season not only possible but probable. Butler has been linked with quite a few high-profile teams as potential trade destinations. Unsurprisingly, the name of the Los Angeles Lakers has cropped up as well. The Lakers need to add to their roster if they want to challenge for another Championship with LeBron James as the face of their team. But Butler does not seem to be the kind of player that they are looking for. As reported by Brett Siegel in Clutch Points, Los Angeles doesn’t appear to have Butler on their radar, according to league sources. They do not want to bring in another hefty salary like Butler’s at this juncture. So, it looks like Butler won’t be heading to the Lakers next. That does not make his Miami exit any less likely though.
The Golden State Warriors appear to be the most likely destination for Butler at this point. It has become clear that Stephen Curry and Draymond Green need some help if they are to make another run to the NBA Finals. A proven playoff performer like Butler could help them in that regard. Other than that, the likes of Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns have been linked with the 35-year-old in recent weeks.
They are the Golden State Warriors and the Phoenix Suns. According to Ishaan Bhattacharya of FadeAway World, ESPN’s Shams Charania said: “The Suns and the Warriors are believed to be atop their list, his preferred win-now destination, if the Miami Heat were to trade him, with the Rockets and Mavericks being the others. This is a fluid situation that we’ll see play out over the coming weeks.”
Butler’s current contract is worth $49 million, and he has a $52 million player option for the 2025–2026 season.
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