Jimmy Butler’s sixth season with the Miami Heat has been turbulent.
The team recently suspended the six-time All-Star for the second time in three weeks — a decision that further fueled the belief that Butler has already played his final game for the franchise.
Butler drew the latest suspension for what the team in a statement Wednesday called a “continued pattern of disregard of team rules, insubordinate conduct and conduct detrimental to the team,” including missing the Heat’s flight to Milwaukee earlier in the day. The Heat were scheduled to play the Bucks on Thursday, before traveling to New York for a matchup with the Brooklyn Nets on Jan. 25.
During Thursday’s edition of TNT’s long-running “Inside the NBA,” Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, and Kenny Smith discussed the drama surrounding Butler.
O’Neal argued it is “human nature” for Butler to want to land with another team when his contract situation is taken into consideration.
“I just think in this situation, it’s more about human nature,” O’Neal noted. “I know exactly how Jimmy feels, I’ve been in this situation many times. All that I’ve done for you, and you don’t want to give me what I want, so human nature kicks in. . . . The part I hate about this business of basketball thing, it always has to be somebody’s fault.”
JIMMY BUTLER PLAYS IN SUNS-THEMED SNEAKERS HOURS AFTER PHOENIX ACQUIRES TRADE ASSETS
Butler, 34, has one year remaining on his deal and has a $52 million player option for the 2025–26 season. He is eligible for a two-year, $113 million extension. However, it does not appear that the Heat extended such an offer to Butler, largely because he’s missed about 25 percent of the team’s games since he arrived in 2019.
Nevertheless, Johnson, Barkley and Smith all expressed view points that opposed O’Neal’s thoughts.
“You can’t just not show up to work,” Barkley responded.
“You took the $50 [million] for this year and next year,” Smith added.
While Johnson typically acts as a referee when the trio of NBA players engage in spirited exchanges on the show, he challenged O’Neal after the four-time NBA player doubled down on his position.
“You don’t feel a responsibility when you are under contract this season to play this season?” Johnson asked.
Barkley also suggested that Butler owed it to the fans and his teammates to put his feelings about the contract situation aside and do his part to help the Heat win games.
“You can get mad at the Miami Heat organization, but the fans of Miami and those guys in that locker room have nothing to do with you wanting a contract extension.”
Butler was banished for seven games earlier this month, costing him about $2.4 million in salary.
Money may not be the only factor contributing to Butler’s unhappiness. Butler has made it no secret that he’s not pleased with what he says is his new role within the Heat offense. He didn’t participate in his usual way during the introduction of the Heat starters in a recent game, and he has sat by himself at times during timeouts while not engaging in the huddle.
Butler told the Heat in recent weeks that he wants a trade, according to multiple reports. The demand has not been made publicly, because NBA rules do not allow players to do so. The NBA’s trade deadline is Feb. 6.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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