Jimmy Butler takes major step to attempt to force trade from Heat

May 25, 2022; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) brings the ball up court during the fourth quarter of game five of the 2022 eastern conference finals against the Boston Celtics at FTX Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

Jimmy Butler appears to be doing everything that he can to hasten his departure from the Miami Heat.

Shams Charania of ESPN reported Thursday that the Miami star Butler has indicated to the Heat that he wants the team to trade him. Charania adds that Butler does not plan to provide the Heat with a list of preferred destinations but is open to playing “anywhere other than Miami.”

The six-time All-Star Butler does plan to participate in all team activities though and will do whatever the Heat ask of him throughout the process of seeking a trade, Charania says.

This news comes right after Butler and the Heat were blown out on Thursday by a sub-.500 opponent in the Indiana Pacers. Indiana won 128-115 (after leading by as many as 28) while Butler finished with just nine points and four assists in 27 minutes.

Speaking with reporters after the loss, Butler indicated that he had lost his joy for the game of basketball.

“I want to see me get my joy back for basketball,” said Butler. “Wherever that may be, we’ll find out here pretty soon. I wanna get my joy back. I’m happy here off the court, but I wanna be back to somewhat dominant. I wanna hoop. I wanna help this team win. Right now I’m not doing that.”

Butler was then asked if he could get his joy back with Miami and quickly replied, “Probably not.”

"Probably not."

—Jimmy Butler when asked if he could get his joy back in Miami. pic.twitter.com/5gahEJxWM7

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 3, 2025

Butler, who will turn 36 in the offseason, can become a free agent by turning down his $52.4 million player option for 2025-26. While he has thrived with the Heat since joining them in 2019 (including leading the team to unlikely Finals berths in 2020 and 2023), Butler has now become frustrated with Miami, who declined to offer him a two-year, $113 million extension last summer (his max number).

On Christmas Day, Butler’s camp already leaked to the media that he would prefer to be traded by the Heat before the Feb. 6 deadline, which led to Heat president Pat Riley shooting down any talk of a potential trade. Butler has since been trying his luck again though, making curious public comments earlier this week about his future and now seemingly requesting a trade from the Heat directly.