Shams Reports: Jimmy Butler "Triples-Down" on Trade Request—"Productive Talks" Had

Just because he's back in the Miami Heat lineup, doesn't mean that Jimmy Butler isn't still wanting out of South Beach. In fact, according to NBA insider Shams Charania of ESPN, Butler is "tripling down" on his demands to be dealt:

"Jimmy Butler has tripled down on his trade request… The Heat have had some productive conversations on a potential Butler trade this week.”@ShamsCharania says the Heat are still working to find a trade for Jimmy Butler 👀pic.twitter.com/1FI9B8e6fG
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 21, 2025

"Jimmy Butler has tripled down on his trade request," said Charania.

"Earlier this month, he did it to Pat Riley's face, and then last week he did it to Micky Arison, the team owner. And I'm told that the Heat have had some productive conversations on a potential Butler trade this week.”

Fellow insider Brian Windhorst confirmed as much on Monday, saying "after his meeting with Micky Arison on Thursday, there is no doubt there's an uptick in discussions around Butler. The Heat shifted into a new gear after that meeting."

Evan Sidery has also reported that Butler made it clear that his preference is to go to the Phoenix Suns. But because the Heat (and all other teams around the league) have zero interest in taking on Bradley Beal's albatross of a contract in return, it's not that simple.

Butler has been back in the Heat lineup for two games after his team-imposed seven-game suspension was up. But in the last contest, a 128-107 Miami win over the San Antonio Spurs, Butler once again seemed less than engaged, scoring only eight points and taking only seven shots in 28 minutes. An even worse performance than his pair of nine-point games before his suspension.

It's clear he doesn't want to be there. As Charania says, "Everyone in that building knows what's up."

But Butler's $49 million contract is very difficult to move, when salaries have to be matched in a trade. It could take a third or a fourth team to enter the equation, and at least one team has already made it known that they want in on that.