The Miami Heat have gotten off to a slow start this season at 12-10, but still sit at fifth place in the Eastern Conference. However, that is not stopping them from shopping one of their All-Stars.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Heat are reportedly listening to offers on forward Jimmy Butler and are willing to part ways if the offer is right. This comes after many reports in the offseason that indicated that the Heat were unwilling to offer Butler an extension.
In Charania’s report, he outlined three teams that Butler and his agent would like him to play for. The list included three Western Conference teams in the Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, and Houston Rockets. Butler would prioritize going to a winning situation, and all three of those teams are in the top five of the conference.
The Miami Heat are making the right decision shopping Jimmy Butler
It makes sense that the Heat are at least open to moving on from the six-time All-Star, given that he is 35 years old and it doesn’t really make sense for them to give an older player max contract money.
In addition to that, Butler is not the same player that he was a few years ago, as this season he is averaging only 19 points per game, and his usage rate of 21.5 percent is the lowest of his Heat career. He ranks third on the team in touches per game at 59 behind Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo. It feels that he has been phased out of the Heat offense as the team prepares for life after him.
Butler has also battled a myriad of injury issues over the last few seasons, from his ankle to his knees. He missed Miami’s entire first-round series against Boston last season because of a knee issue he suffered in the play-in. Prior to that, he battled ankle issues during the Heat’s run to the finals in 2023.
Yes, Butler’s main value stems from his playoff performances, as he has been a huge catalyst for the Heat making the finals two times in the last five years and three conference finals appearances in that span as well.
But with the East getting tougher at the time with the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, and New York Knicks, all of which have number-one options younger than 30 (Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell, and Jalen Brunson, respectively), Miami wouldn’t be wise to have a 35-year-old leading the way.
With the emergence of Herro and Adebayo signing an extension last offseason, getting value for an aging star should be the goal for the Heat. They have reached their ceiling with Butler as their main star and should reset the team instead of signing him to more max money.