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.
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.
