The New York Knicks reportedly are interested in Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler if he becomes available on the trade market this offseason.
“Butler had boasted the Heat would’ve sent the Knicks home had Miami faced them in the playoffs,” the Palm Beach Post’s Marc Berman wrote. “Ironically, the Knicks reportedly have an eye on the potential Butler Sweepstakes.”
Butler, 34, is under contract for the 2024-25 season and has a player option for the 2025-26 season. He could opt out of his deal after the 2024-25 campaign to become an unrestricted free agent.
It’s been reported that NBA executives are watching how the Heat will handle Butler’s contract since he is eligible for an extension this offseason. There have also been reports that believe Butler will be moved, including a recent one from Howard Beck.
“Jimmy Butler will be traded,” Beck said. “Rival executives have been buzzing about it for months, for all the obvious reasons. Butler is about to turn 35 (with a lot of hard miles and a lot of injuries), with one year left on his Heat contract, and is reportedly seeking a two-year, $113 million extension. If the Heat grant it, they’ll have little to no flexibility to add another star. And they absolutely need one.”
The Knicks could make sense as a destination for Butler after they earned the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference last season. New York could use a running mate for All-NBA guard Jalen Brunson to compete for a title, and if it doesn’t want to keep Julius Randle on the roster, he could be a primary piece in a Butler deal.
Plus, there is a major connection between Butler and Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau. Butler played for Thibodeau with the Chicago Bulls and with the Minnesota Timberwolves earlier in his career.
Miami is in a tough position, as it has made the NBA Finals twice with Butler on the roster and would be giving up on its current core if it trades him. However, a Butler trade could also help Miami rebuild the team around younger players like Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo.
During the 2023-24 season, Butler averaged 20.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game in 60 contests. He shot 49.9 percent from the field and 41.4 percent from beyond the arc.
Since coming to Miami ahead of the 2019-20 season, Butler has led the Heat to three Eastern Conference Finals appearances and two NBA Finals appearances while being named an All-Star twice.
It’ll be interesting to see what his future holds this offseason.
