ESPN’s Shams Charania defends himself after agent called him a liar

If you haven’t heard about the trade speculation surrounding Jimmy Butler, you probably live in a cave without any internet service, because this has been the biggest rumor of the 2024-25 season so far. In the past weeks, he’s being targeted by many NBA clubs after it was reported that the Heat are open to trade him. 

This is why the player’s agent Bernard Lee called out Shams Charania for his “made up” stories. “I 1000% stand by my reporting,” the insider wrote. “It’s fully vetted. And as a professional, that’s what I do, that’s what I get paid to do, that’s what I’m going to do. I report truthfully and accurately. That’s what this is. Period.”

Jimmy’s agent had no problem with the reports until he mentioned his name as one of the sources, so Shams went on to double down on his work. “Tuesday, I reported that the Miami Heat have begun listening to trade offers for Jimmy Butler and he prefers a win-now destination.

After the Heat beat the Raptors, Jimmy Butler would shout out his agent for calling out Shams Charania.https://t.co/jvqbj5vufA

— Heat Nation (@HeatNationCP) December 13, 2024

“Three of the teams that I reported that his agent has indicated in league circles, that he is open to the Mavericks, the Rockets, and the Golden State Warriors. Yesterday, I also added that there was another team on that list: the Phoenix Suns. That is the reporting and 1000% stand by it because it’s 1000% facts,” said the ESPN reporter.

It all started when Charania first speculated on the matter by stating that Miami are open to offers for their superstar. “The Heat are open to listening to offers for Butler and making a deal if the proposal is right, league sources told ESPN,” he wrote this week.

The NBA insider then mentioned the superstar’s agent and things got dirty. “(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,” assured the ESPN reporter.

However, an a post on X , Bernard replied to Shams – completely dismissing the report. “Alright listen. I gave you a pass yesterday because I was busy but if you don’t stop putting my name on your complete and utter made up bulls**t because you know you normally aren’t worth my time to acknowledge,” he posted.

The Miami star said that he loved the fact that his agent was defending his honor and even enjoys the publicity around the rumors

After the Heat conquered their fourth-straight win with a 114-104 victory over the Toronto Raptors this Thursday, the veteran was asked about the back and forth going on between his agent and Charania. Butler admitted that he was proud of Lee for defending his honor.

“I f*ing love it. I love it, I am all for the back and forth. Before he was my agent, he’s like, I guess we’re like brothers now, we do everything together, but I feel for him, at least somebody’s sticking up for me,” Jimmy told the press after the contest.

The 35-year-old is being linked to teams like the Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks, and he guaranteed that he doesn’t mind the trade speculations.

“I actually like it,” the Heat star responded when asked about the rumors. “It’s good to be talked about. I don’t think there’s such a thing as bad publicity to a point. But if somebody is talking about me getting traded, that’s a lot.”