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By Ryan Stano
Contributing Sports Writer
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Jimmy Butler has played for four different organizations in his NBA career. He has played for the Chicago Bulls, the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Philadelphia 76ers, and now the Miami Heat. Now, he wants to play for a fifth.
Butler has been a distraction for the Heat since the end of last season. His comments about the Boston Celtics ruffled Pat Riley's feathers. Then, Riley opted not to offer Butler a contract extension. Now, Butler wants out.
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Right now, Butler is serving a seven-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team. His effort in games against the Pelicans and the Pacers is what led to this suspension. He clearly was not trying his hardest in either of those games.
Butler owns a coffee business. A video on social media seems to show Butler taking a shot at the Heat's leadership.
When speaking to a worker at his coffee shop, Butler states:
"See, I gave you a compliment. That's what bosses do, they build you up they don't break you down."
Though it can be seen as a throwaway comment, Butlery appears to be taking a shot at the potential higher-ups he deals with on the Heat.
It seems that no matter what happens, Butler won't be playing another game for the Miami Heat.
Other teams have been calling Miami about what it would take to get Butler to be traded to them. Butler has a list of preferred teams, but he has openly said he just wants to be traded anywhere else. He just wants out of Miami.
Fans have already turned on Butler as evidenced by what happened to his mural in Miami. The fans have already decided that having Butler lead the Heat to the Finals in 2020 and 2023 is not enough to keep loving him at this point.
Butler is averaging 17.6 points per game, the lowest number since his third year in the league. He has also played in just 22 games this season due to a variety of injuries. Injuries have been a major problem for him over the course of his career.
Given Butler's age and his contract, finding the right trade partner won't be easy for the Heat. He is 35 years old and he has a $52 million player option for next season. Butler is also looking for a contract extension at something close to max money.
Whichever team decides to trade for Butler would need to be going all in. Butler is a large personality. Still, he's good enough to warrant respect from opponents. Despite his low-scoring output, he's shooting a career-high 55 percent from the field.
It would be surprising if Butler was not moved at least a couple of weeks before the trade deadline. The sooner he is moved, the better for all parties involved.
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