Despite multiple reports in the past weeks, it is looking more and more likely the Miami Heat will retain Jimmy Butler past the NBA Trade Deadline. There is a “growing consensus,” that he will remain with the organization for the remainder of the season unless he becomes a distraction. The star small forward had been linked to teams such as the Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, and the San Antonio Spurs in the past couple of weeks. However, his trade market seems to be narrowing day by day. As a result, do not be surprised if Miami holds onto Butler past the deadline and tries to get something done come the offseason.
“Growing Consensus,” That Jimmy Butler Remains With Miami Past NBA Trade Deadline
Jimmy Butler’s Season Numbers
In 20 games this year, the six-time All-Star has averaged 18.5 points, 1.3 steals, 4.9 assists, and 5.8 total rebounds per game. Butler is currently shooting 55.2 percent from the field which is by far a career-best to go along with a three-point shooting percentage of 35.7 percent. He is a career 33.0 percent shooter from beyond the arc, but this is a facet of his game he has improved in the last couple of seasons. Last year, Butler shot a career-best 41.4 percent from three-point range.
The five-time All-Defensive Team member is also authoring a player efficiency rating of 24.6, a box plus/minus rating of +6.0, and a total rebounding percentage of 10.0 percent on the season. The Heat hope that Butler could possibly muster another incredible playoff run akin to the one he had in 2023 if they do retain him past the trade deadline. He is certainly capable of anything in the postseason. However, the main challenge for the Heat will be getting to the playoffs first. For them, they have an opportunity considering the Eastern Conference is weaker than the Western Conference this season.
The State of the Miami Heat Right Now
As of December 23rd, 2024, Miami has a win-loss record of 13-13 which is good enough for sixth place in the Eastern Conference. Per FanDuel, they have odds of +8,000 to win this year’s NBA Finals. If Miami can get some continuity with their main core and Butler remains healthy, they have enough talent to potentially be a top-four seed in the East. Remember, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro have been main-stays on this squad and also know what it takes to make a deep playoff push. Considering all of this, one should not sleep on the Miami Heat if they do decide to keep Jimmy Butler this year.
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