Photo: Peter Baba

Last week, Jimmy Butler met in person with Pat Riley and once again expressed his strong desire to be traded.

During this meeting, Butler made it clear that he has no intention of re-signing with the Miami Heat and plans to leverage his $52 million player option for the 2025-26 season strictly as a bargaining chip to facilitate a trade.

The veteran’s suspension, which spans seven games, is set to conclude this Thursday. The Heat now face a critical decision: whether to welcome Butler back into the lineup or move forward with a trade.

Team executives are scheduled to meet later this week to determine the best course of action regarding Butler’s future with the organization.

The Heat have been in discussions with several teams about potential trade scenarios for the player and have received offers. However, they have yet to make significant progress in negotiations.

Butler has expressed a preference for being traded to one of the following teams: the Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, or Houston Rockets.

His decision to request a trade stemmed partly from comments made by Heat officials, suggesting that he did not give his maximum effort during the team’s victory over the Pelicans on New Year’s Day.

This implication seems to have contributed to his growing frustration and his push for a move elsewhere.

Butler has played 14 seasons for 4 teams, including the Bulls. He has averaged 18.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in 836 regular-season games. He was selected to play in 6 All-Star games and has won 1 Most Improved Player award.