Jimmy Butler has doubled his trade request with the Miami Heat and indicated he would rather play for any other team, according to ESPN insiders Shams Charania and Brian Windhorst.
Unlike many other trade requests from stars in the recent past, Butler reportedly did not specify a list of preferred destinations, seemingly dismissive of the team's elite path.
Butler doesn't seem particularly picky about where he lands. With the number of top three teams declining in recent years, it is unlikely that he will be able to field a top team anywhere.
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This revelation came hours after Butler scored just nine points en route to Miami's 128-115 loss on Thursday night. During his post-game interview, the six-time All Star made his feelings clear about his level of satisfaction in Miami and the lack of a relationship with the organization.
“I want to get my joy back playing basketball,” Butler said. “And wherever that may be, we'll find out here very soon.” “I'm happy here off the field, but I want to get back in control a little bit.”
When asked if he could regain that satisfaction with the Heat, Butler responded: “Maybe not.”
Butler was apparently upset by his team's implication that he didn't play his best in Miami's win over the Pelicans on Wednesday. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra has elected to leave him on the bench in the fourth quarter in each of the last two games.
The apparent breakdown of Jimmy Butler in his relationship with… Miami Heat It reportedly stems from tension between the two parties dating back to last spring when team president Pat Riley announced that Butler's contract would not be extended before the 2024-25 season.
The 35-year-old star Pat Riley and his owner Micky Arison have reportedly met in recent days, but any attempts to reach a resolution have been unsuccessful.
Charania also reported that Riley and Butler's relationship took a bad turn after 79-year-old Riley called Jimmy Butler In his media session at the end of the season.
“If you're not on the field playing, you should keep your mouth shut.”
Butler had hinted on his Instagram account that Miami would have gone further in the playoffs with him in the lineup after their first-round loss to the Celtics.
Where is Jimmy Butler's next destination?
Butler is a proven playoff performer and the trade value works to his advantage as he is averaging the fewest points per game since 2013-14 and the fewest minutes per game since 2012-13. It also appears that his days as the top defender on a contender are in the past, but he will be a hot commodity on the open market nonetheless. Here are three teams that could be ready to make a trade for Jimmy Butler.
#1 Houston Rockets
Jimmy Butler is a Houston native who would fit in perfectly with a young Rockets team playing solid basketball under Imi Udoka. Armed with a string of first-round picks and young, tradable talent such as Jabari Smith Jr. and Cam Whitmore, Possible offer from Rockets It might very well be a no-no for Miami.
#2 Oklahoma City Thunder
OKC is in a similar position to Houston and sits atop the Western Conference with a significant advantage. With their rookie roster poised for a tournament run, Jimmy Butler's maturity and mentorship could be what the Thunder need to bolster their roster.
#3 Golden State Warriors
The 2022 NBA champions currently look like an easy contender in the West with another deep playoff run Steph Curry And Draymond Green seems unlikely. Steve Kerr has experimented with a deep rotation of serviceable players who could all be ideal trade pieces. With first-round picks traded, the Golden State Warriors The front office may pull the trigger on Jimmy Butler on a late-round extension this post-season for Curry.
Edited by Debasish