NBA: Indiana Pacers at Miami Heat - Source: Imagn
Jimmy Butler's situation in Miami has been one of the biggest storylines of the 2024-25 NBA season. A divorce between the six-time All-Star and the Miami Heat appears imminent despite Heat officials and Butler's agent declining the rumors of a potential trade.
As one NBA insider pointed out, though, Miami has no obligation to trade Butler and could ultimately let him walk instead of shipping him off for any assets to make a deal work around his $48 million cap hit. Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix argued that there is no incentive for the Heat to move Butler ahead of February's trade deadline.
"I get why (Jimmy Butler) wants a trade. He wants half a season to show a new team he's worthy of an extension. But Miami has no incentive to trade him. The cap flexibility they get if he walks could be just as valuable as any assets they can get for him."
