A somewhat shocking report has come out regarding Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler.
With just days left before the Heat make their 2022 NBA Playoffs debut, a report has indicated that Butler could ask for a trade from the team if it does not perform well in the upcoming playoffs.
Tension has seemingly been simmering underneath the surface at times this season, but the report certainly changes the script going forward.
“Rival players speculated that Butler, worn down by the demands of Heat ‘culture,’ could seek a trade if it doesn’t work out this spring,” Joe Vardon of The Athletic reported.
A lot of question marks arose weeks ago when Butler, veteran Udonis Haslem and head coach Erik Spoelstra got into a visibly intense spat during a game. While there have been attempts to downplay the incident, it is not quite so easy to forget.
Now, the Heat face a postseason that comes with a lot of potential roadblocks. Of course, every team entering the playoffs knows that there are challenges ahead. Still, the level of competitiveness and talent in the Eastern Conference this season seems a bit heightened.
That only hurts the Heat’s chances of winning the conference title and trying to earn the 2022 NBA championship.
With that all in mind, it is important to remember that the report is based on other players’ speculation alone. It’s not something coming straight from Butler’s camp, and it is not even coming from other members within the Heat organization.
Still, fans will certainly be watching Butler very closely once the playoffs commence. If any other major signs of frustration start to appear, perhaps the report will start to carry a bit more weight.
