Jimmy Butler has become the center of trade rumors, with ESPN's Shams Charania reporting earlier in December that the Miami Heat star is likely to decline his $52 million player option for the 2025-26 season, hitting free agency this summer, and that the team is "open to listening to offers for Butler and making a deal if the proposal is right."
A trade may still be unlikely, however.
According to ESPN's Bobby Marks, "there is a growing consensus among the teams I talked to that unless the six-time All-Star becomes a distraction, or the Heat receive a trade offer they cannot turn down, Butler will be on the Heat's roster once the deadline passes.