One of the biggest storylines in the basketball world of late has been about what the Miami Heat will do with star forward Jimmy Butler. Butler has requested a trade from the Heat but so far, nothing has materialized.
Since then, the Heat have suspended Butler for "conduct detrimental to the team'. Butler has been out since Jan. 2 but should be returning soon.
Reports surfaced that Butler was having a meeting with Heat owner Micky Arison on Thursday. His seven-game suspension is about to expire and there have been questions about whether the star would return to the court for the Heat.
But Heat teammate Kevin Love may have gotten word about how the meeting between Butler and Arison went. Love posted a meme that seems to hint that the trade drama between the two sides could be over.
The drama around Butler and the Heat has consumed the league, with many wondering how it will all play out. While Butler has wanted out of Miami, it's not that simple due to his large contract.
Butler is owed $48M for the remainder of this season and then holds a $52 million player option for next year. There have been rumors that Butler could opt out of his deal to enter free agency this coming summer but the likelihood of Butler leaving over $50 million on the table is low.
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Any team that would trade for Butler has to be able to fit that amount into the salary cap, something that isn't as easy with the new CBA restrictions. Additionally, Butler has wanted a new contract from the Heat, something a team trading for him would need to deal with.
It remains to be seen whether the Heat will actually trade the six-time All-Star before the Feb. 6 trade deadline. But it does feel like his time in Miami will be coming to an end sooner rather than later even if this goes into the offseason.
Opposing teams will have a better sense of where they are in terms of their financial flexibility and could make a better-informed decision. But for now, assuming that Butler does return to the Heat, Miami will go forward to compete the best they can in the Eastern Conference.
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