Miami Heat superstar Jimmy Butler is expected to seek a two-year max extension this coming offseason, according to the Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang.
“Jimmy Butler, who turns 35 on Sept. 14, is expected to seek a maximum two-year contract extension worth about $113 million from the Heat this offseason, according to a league source,” Chiang wrote.
Butler is currently under contract with the Heat for the 2024-25 season and has a player option for the 2025-26 season.
It seems like Butler is looking to lock in his future with the Heat while also guaranteeing himself a hefty payday for the later stages of his career.
“This two-year max extension would include salaries of $54.3 million for the 2025-26 season (nearly a $2 million increase from the player option in Butler’s current contract for that season) and $58.6 million for the 2026-2027 season when Butler will be 37 years old,” Chiang wrote. “Those numbers could fluctuate based on where the NBA’s salary cap is set for those seasons.”
According to Chiang, Miami could be running the risk of upsetting the star wing if it doesn’t offer him the extension in the offseason.
“But the expectation is Butler and his camp will push for that extension before the start of the upcoming season,” Chiang wrote. “Choosing not to offer this exact extension this offseason could lead to a disgruntled Butler.”
Right now, Butler is set to be the 11th-highest paid player in the NBA next season.
There’s no doubt that the Heat need Butler as part of their current core to win, especially after the team was knocked out of the playoffs in the first round this season with the star sidelined due to a knee injury.
A six-time All-Star, Butler has led the Heat to the NBA Finals twice and Eastern Conference Finals three times in his five seasons with the team. Miami has also made the playoffs in each of those seasons, although it does have two first-round exits (this season and the 2020-21 season).
One concern for the Heat could be Butler’s durability, as he’s played in 64 or fewer games in each of his five seasons with the franchise. This season, Butler was limited to just 60 games, but he was productive when on the floor.
The five-time All-NBA selection averaged 20.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game while shooting 49.9 percent from the field and a career-high 41.4 percent from beyond the arc.
As long as the Heat still believe that the current core they have assembled can win a title, it would make sense to keep Butler happy – and under contract – for the long haul. It’ll be interesting to see how the two sides approach contract talks this coming offseason.