Miami Heat president Pat Riley isn’t beating around the bush: Jimmy Butler isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
On Thursday, Riley shot down rumors from ESPN’s Shams Charania about Butler wanting a trade, stating flat out that the team has no intentions of moving him.
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“We usually don’t comment on rumors, but all this speculation has become a distraction to the team and is not fair to the players and coaches,” Riley said in a statement released by the team on Thursday. “Therefore, we will make it clear: We are not trading Jimmy Butler.”
Charania dropped a report on Wednesday saying Butler “prefers” to be traded from Miami before the February 6 deadline, but he hasn’t officially put in a request. He noted that the Heat were open to offers for Butler, who’s eyeing contender squads like the Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, and Houston Rockets.
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Miami’s sitting at sixth in the East, and when they hit that sweet spot, they definitely look like they could make a playoff push (though consistency has been a bit of a struggle). Most execs at the G-League showcase are thinking the most likely play is that Butler finishes this season with the Heat, and if he decides he wants out, he’ll roll out through a sign-and-trade next offseason.
No matter what’s next, Riley wants to shut down all the chatter about his team right now.
