Jimmy Butler Reportedly Upends Warriors Trade Possibility Over Contract Extension

There goes that lead.
Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler on Jan 19, 2025.
Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler on Jan 19, 2025. / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

As everybody else in the NBA finds a new home before the Feb. 6 trade deadline, Miami Heat's Jimmy Butler is still looking.

The forward's bid for a new team took on new urgency early this week, when the Heat suspended him indefinitely for "intentionally withholding services," meaning he's not getting paid. But unfortunately for him, his mercurial behavior, age, and the context of the move hasn't exactly translated to immediate and plentiful interest.

As recently as yesterday, the Golden State Warriors were still on the table as a potential option. Nothing concrete, as there were also rumors that coach Steve Kerr and star Steph Curry had concerns about Butler fitting in, but there was chatter.

Well, Butler has (reportedly) already put the kibosh on that conversation. According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, the 35-year-old has told the team that he wouldn't sign an extension there and therefore any trade talks have ended.

There goes that lead. As such, the pressure remains on for both parties to figure this out before the end of the week.


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Brigid Kennedy
BRIGID KENNEDY

Brigid Kennedy is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, she covered political news, sporting news and culture at TheWeek.com before moving to Livingetc, an interior design magazine. She is a graduate of Syracuse University, dual majoring in television, radio and film (from the Newhouse School of Public Communications) and marketing managment (from the Whitman School of Management). Offline, she enjoys going to the movies, reading and watching the Steelers.