Heat Trade Rumors: Miami Drops Jimmy Butler’s Price After Third Suspension

After Miami suspended Jimmy Butler for the third time this month on Monday, the Heat are ramping up their efforts to move on from the disgruntled veteran by lowering their asking price for the six-time All-Star forward.

Heat Trade Rumors: Miami Is Eager To Move Jimmy Butler After Suspending Him Indefinitely On Monday

During a recent appearance on SportsCenter for the Tuesday morning episode, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst explained the Heat are “really, really trying” to get a trade done by dropping their asking price for Butler:

“The Heat are really, really trying to make this happen. And I know that you could have said that any time in the last four or five weeks, but in talking to people who are involved in these talks, I think the Heat’s prices have come down. What they’re willing to accept in trade has widened, and I think that’s going to bring some more teams that we’re previously sitting on the sideline to the table.

“Obviously, the Phoenix Suns have tried to get this done for weeks. They have tried three, four, five-team machinations. They have not been able to overcome the fact that what they’ve really got to trade is Bradley Beal, who has a no-trade clause and not a very big market. And so now I do believe this is going to bring in some other teams. We could see some surprising moves in this in this little battle in the next couple of days.”

Brian Windhorst on Jimmy Butler and the Phoenix Suns

“it doesn’t look like the Suns & Heat are going to be able to consummate a deal”pic.twitter.com/LkvKes6rzO

— Cody Mallory (@RealCodyMallory) January 28, 2025

Butler was suspended indefinitely and for no fewer than five games by the Heat on Monday. The five-time All-NBA member was due to return from a two-game suspension for Miami’s game against the Orlando Magic.

However, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported he walked out of the Heat’s morning shootaround after being told he was being replaced in the starting lineup by Haywood Highsmith.

A suspension of at least five games will keep Butler out of the Heat lineup through Feb. 5. Miami has an off day on Feb. 6, which is also the date of the NBA trade deadline.

Miami Prefers Not To Take Back Large Contracts That Run Beyond Next Season

Since the Heat are now more than willing to be done with Butler, the team is “determined not to take back sizable contracts that run past next season,” per Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald.

If the Heat were asked to take back a significant contract that runs beyond the 2025-26 season, the team wants to be “compensated with a draft pick or two.”

The Suns reportedly remain Butler’s preferred destination. This means Phoenix will have to include at least three teams in a potential deal because it doesn’t have the draft capital or ability to do a one-for-one trade unless Bradley Beal waives his no-trade clause.

Of course, Butler has played just five games since Dec. 21.

The Heat (23-22) currently rank sixth in the Eastern Conference standings. They trail the fifth-place Indiana Pacers (25-20) by two games and lead the seventh-seed Magic (24-24) by half a game.