What needs to happen in order for Jimmy Butler to receive a salary from the Miami Heat that exceeds $200 million?
Jimmy Butler, a great player for the Miami Heat, is unlikely to exercise his player option for the 2026–2027 season unless a maximum contract is previously agreed upon. Butler declined to sign a contract extension with the Heat this offseason in order to keep all of his options open. The 34-year-old is taking a chance with this decision, raising the question of what he needs to do to get a maximum contract from Miami’s front office.
The likelihood of Butler and the Heat winning in the postseason is high given the significant advancements made by the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks. As the Knicks executed a blockbuster trade for Mikal Bridges, the Sixers added star Paul George along with a plethora of role players, including former Heat forward Caleb Martin. Their potential seeding ceiling may now be as low as No. 4, which is improbable given the superior regular season suitability of clubs like the Milwaukee Bucks, Indiana Pacers, and Cleveland Cavaliers. Having said that, it seems the Heat will make it to the Play-In Tournament for the third time in a row.
It shouldn’t matter how the Heat do in the regular season if Butler gets the extension. Rather, it is a question of his year-round work and availability. Although Pat Riley, the team president, is well aware of the veteran’s potential in his best moments, he needs to consistently perform well in order to get to those games. Butler still hasn’t played in 70 games for the Heat, which is a significant number going into talks. Additionally, he was absent for the whole Round 1 series against the Boston Celtics, the defending champions. Although a player cannot completely manage injuries, their availability is their greatest asset.
Keeping the roster unchanging this offseason was a very underappreciated notion, since the front office can use this season to make a big choice. They have three options: they either let Butler go, make center Bam Adebayo the cornerstone of the team, or risk everything to win a championship with him leading the way. What counts most in the end is if Butler still has the stamina to be a top option on a team that wins a championship. Riley should extend Butler’s contract if he can do that, and he should also attempt to reward him with a new star partner. The trade deadline is a crucial moment to monitor the Heat if the season begins badly.