Pat Riley brushes off the idea of trading Jimmy Butler.
Could Joel Embiid and Jimmy Butler, who have long been adversaries in the Eastern Conference, reconcile on the Philadelphia 76ers?
It is not something to rely on.
Jimmy Butler has been portrayed as the ideal third star prospect for the 76ers going into their summer with lots of salary space, but as of right now, the Miami Heat have no intention of trading away the vocal All-Star.
In response to inquiries this week regarding the condition of the eighth-seeded team in the Eastern Conference, Heat president Pat Riley stated that Butler would not be a trade candidate this offseason.
“Who moves the needle the most on our team is Jimmy,” Riley said, according to The Athletic. “Jimmy moves the needle the most. He’s an incredible player.”
It’s still early on in the offseason. With the second round of the playoffs just getting started, a lot can happen over the next few months.
It seems the Heat are content with building around the 34-year-old Butler, who turns 35 before the start of next season. That only that changes if the veteran All-Star decides he wants out.
Butler hasn’t indicated that he wants to leave Miami as of yet. Due to an injury, Butler was unable to participate in the Heat’s unsuccessful attempt to make a deep postseason run this season.
His most recent postseason stint with the Heat began strangely as they were seeded eighth going into the playoffs, and it finished with them losing to the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals.
To keep Butler happy, the Heat will undoubtedly need to make some significant personnel adjustments. It doesn’t appear like Butler is going to become a trade demand just yet.
