After months of speculation surrounding Jimmy Butler’s future with the Miami Heat, the door is reportedly open.
The Heat are willing to cut ties with the veteran star, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
“The Heat are open to listening to offers for Butler and making a deal if the proposal is right, league sources told ESPN,” Charania wrote. “And Butler’s agent, Bernie Lee, has indicated in league circles that Butler is open to destinations such as two of the Texas teams (Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks) and the Golden State Warriors.”
This decision likely stems from Butler no longer playing like the Heat’s top player. Instead, guard Tyler Herro’s breakout campaign is putting him atop the roster. The six-time All-Star’s preferred destinations make sense, as joining a rebuilding team is a waste of time at this stage of his career.
“Butler is a native of Houston, Texas. Above all, though, he is believed to prefer a win-now title contender in any trade,” Charania concluded.
The Mavericks, Rockets, and Warriors are all in conversations to win the loaded Western Conference. The Mavs are a season removed from an NBA Finals appearance while all three organizations are in the top five seeds of the West.