Per the Miami Herald‘s Anthony Chiang, Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler is not expected to agree to terms on a contract extension with the team even if the Heat put forward an offer. It is also assumed that he will forgo his player option for the 2025-26 campaign and enter free agency in the summer of 2025.
“The expectation at this point is that Butler will pass on the extension even if the Heat offers it, according to sources, and then opt out of his current contract to become a free agent next summer,” Chiang wrote.
Still, it doesn’t quite seem as if fans of the Heat need to be worried about Butler signing elsewhere if he were to become a free agent. After all, a report from ESPN’s Brian Windhorst earlier in the month indicated that Butler wants to remain in Miami and sign another contract with the team.
“A few things on the Heat,” Windhorst said. “One, as far as I know, I think Jimmy Butler wants to be in Miami. His goal is to get another contract from the Heat. He also, I think, has a player option in his contract. Which, I think, his intention is to probably waive and become a free agent. But he still has that out there.”
It is worth noting that he was linked to multiple teams in rumors during the offseason, though. For one, it was reported in August that Butler “likes” the city of Brooklyn, where the Brooklyn Nets play.
Additionally, in September, The Athletic’s Sam Amick connected Butler to the Golden State Warriors. He alleged that the Warriors have interest in obtaining Butler and that Golden State probably reached out to the Heat in the summer regarding his availability.
“Jimmy Butler’s gonna be a free agent next summer,” Amick said on the subject of players the Warriors could add to complement Stephen Curry. “Didn’t get an extension done — the Warriors, as you know, have interest there. And I think probably made a couple calls during the summer.”
Butler has been on the Heat since the 2019-20 campaign, and during his time in Miami, the Heat have carved out their most successful era of basketball since LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh led the team to two titles in 2012 and 2013.
Since the year 2020, the Heat have represented the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals twice. On top of that, Miami has played in three Eastern Conference Finals in that span.
Miami has knocked on the door of winning a title on several occasions with Butler, and the clock is ticking for the Heat to capture the NBA’s ultimate prize with him on the team. Butler is getting up there in age, as he turned 35 years old last month. He has plenty of mileage on his body as well, considering he’s heading into his 14th NBA season and sixth in Miami.
