The Miami Heat have no plans to trade Jimmy Butler, team president Pat Riley said Thursday.
"We usually don't comment on rumors, but all this speculation has become a distraction to the team and is not fair to the players and coaches. Therefore, we will make it clear -- we are not trading Jimmy Butler," he said in a statement.
Riley's statement comes a day after league sources told ESPN's Shams Charania that the six-time All-Star Butler prefers a trade out of Miami ahead of the Feb. 6 deadline.
Butler has $49 million on his contract with the Heat for this season and a $52 million player option for 2025-26 after the two sides failed to reach an extension last summer.