Jimmy Butler trade rumors are beginning to surface, but Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra is not concerned.
“It's been our best, most consistent stretch of the season,” Spoelstra said, via Ira Winderman. “So anything else, any other narrative, I don't care. Nobody should, because most of this stuff has just been all like a bunch of gibberish.”
Shams Charania of ESPN reported that Butler may be open to trades to the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks and Golden State Warriors. Butler did not comment on the situation Tuesday, according to Winderman.
The Warriors, Rockets and Mavericks are all competitive this season. However, the Heat are fifth in the Eastern Conference. Their record sits at just 12-10, but Miami may still be able to compete. There are no guarantees that Jimmy Butler will be traded.
Completing a trade will prove to be a challenge given Butler's lucrative salary as well. The 35-year-old is making over $48 million this season and has a player option worth over $52 million for the 2025-26 campaign.
Jimmy Butler focusing on helping Heat amid trade rumors
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Butler is averaging 19 points per game on 55.7 percent field goal and 36 percent three-point shooting in the 2024-25 season. The Heat star is also averaging 5.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.2 steals per outing. It has not been Butler's best season, but he is still playing at a respectable level without question.
Many teams would love to acquire Butler if he is indeed made available for a potential trade. Of course, nothing is guaranteed to happen and there still is a chance that Butler will finish the 2024-25 season in a Heat jersey.
Trade rumors will continue to dominate headlines until early February. Will Jimmy Butler be traded by then? Only time will tell, but it will be a situation to monitor. Spoelstra, however, is seemingly not concerned about all of the “gibberish.”