Pat Riley Confirms Miami Heat Will Not Trade Jimmy Butler
Miami Heat president Pat Riley has stated the team will not trade star player Jimmy Butler amid recent trade rumors and speculation.
Miami, Jimmy Butler, Pat Riley, NBA, Trade Rumors
Miami: So, Pat Riley, the big boss of the Miami Heat, just laid it down. He’s not trading Jimmy Butler, no way, no how. This comes after some chatter about Butler wanting out.
Riley shot down those rumors on Thursday, saying it’s all just noise. He mentioned that the speculation is distracting for the team and unfair to everyone involved. He made it super clear: Butler is staying put.
There was a report from ESPN saying Butler might prefer a trade before the deadline, but he hasn’t officially asked for one. Teams like the Suns and Warriors were mentioned as possible landing spots, but Riley isn’t having it.
Butler’s been with the Heat since 2019 and has led them to the playoffs a bunch of times. Still, he hasn’t snagged that elusive championship yet, even though he’s made it to the Finals twice.
This season, he’s putting up decent numbers, averaging around 18.5 points a game. But there’s been some contract talk too. They couldn’t agree on an extension this summer, and it looks like Butler might not pick up his player option, which could make him a free agent soon.