Butler told Riley that he will not sign a new deal in Miami and intends to only use his $52 million player option in the offseason for 2025-26 as a trade maneuver, sources said. Butler's seven-game, team-issued suspension from the Heat - for what was termed 'detrimental conduct' - ends Thursday, at which point the Heat will be faced with finding a path forward for Butler, with options including a return to the roster or a trade.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra and players such as Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo have spoken in the last week about finding clarity and eliminating the distraction of Butler's circumstances during his absence. The Heat have engaged with multiple teams on Butler trade scenarios and have received offers but have been hesitant to negotiate further.
There isn't any new detail outside of Butler using his $52.1 million player option to potentially regain leverage if he's not traded by the Feb. 6 trade deadline. Nobody wants to do this same song and dance next year, and the Heat likely knows that.
As I pointed out previously, multi-team deals are easier to execute and more frequent in this two-apron system in the offseason-especially when the largest number is an eight-figure salary that starts with a '5.' Butler's market appears to be dwindling by the second.
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