In light of the rumor that Jimmy Butler wishes to remain in Miami, will the Heat offer him the longest possible extension?
Jimmy Butler was on the court for the Miami Heat this past season, and when he wasn’t, they were outscored by 5.5 points per 100 possessions. Even at 34 years old, he was a vital member of the Miami Heat, averaging 20.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5 assists a game when he was healthy. He participated in 60 games, but missed the Heat’s opening-round series loss to the Boston Celtics, which lasted five games.
Jimmy Butler adores Miami, but money is what matters most to him. Butler is eligible for a two-year, $113 million extension this summer. He currently has two years and $101.2 million left on his contract, the second of which is a player option. Butler wants it, other teams are keeping an eye on the Heat to see if they make an offer, and if not, will that force the Heat to consider trade possibilities? It was discussed by Shams Charania of The Athletic on a recent Pat McAfee Show program.
Jimmy Butler seems to only want to be in Miami, in my opinion. I get the impression that he adores Miami. However, this year he is eligible for an extension. I believe this is something that will play out over the course of the next month or two, as there are several teams that would grant him an extension. He wants an extension; the Heat don’t want to move him. Will they extend their offer to him? That is the query. To be clear, Jimmy Butler will probably report to the Miami Heat’s training camp for the upcoming season. Pat Riley added what was obviously a message to Butler, stating that the front management had not internally addressed an extension following the Heat’s elimination.
“To commit those kinds of resources unless you have someone who will be there and available every single night is a big decision on our part,” Riley remarked. “That is the reality.” This is a situation worth keeping an eye on for the Philadelphia front office, as they have lots of cap room and are looking to find an exceptional wing to put in between Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. Not only the 76ers, but other clubs hoping to acquire a win-now player are keeping an eye on what’s going on in Miami.
Most likely, it comes to nothing. Could there be a non-max extension between Butler and the Heat? Could the negotiations be postponed until the summer of 2019? Numerous clubs are keeping an eye on the situation to see how it plays out, but there are a lot of different ways this might go.