Recent rumors that Miami Heat superstar Jimmy Butler is expressing interest in joining the Brooklyn Nets don’t make a lot of sense.
Butler, who is entering the final year of his contract, is looking to secure a maximum contract extension next season, either with the Heat or elsewhere. It appears Heat team president Pat Riley was unwilling to extend the six-time All-Star’s contract until he proves he can stay healthy.
Butler’s acquisition from the Nets could also come via a successful trade, meaning Brooklyn’s management will count on the 35-year-old continuing with the organization later in the year. The Butler-Nets pairing seems odd as they are still chasing their first career title as the Nets begin a rebuild. Following the New York Post’s expression of interest, reporter Bob Windrem echoed the connections in The Brooklyn Pod.
“Jimmy Butler’s interest in the Brooklyn Nets is very, very real,” Windrem said. “Part of it comes from New York, part of it comes from the fact that Bernie Lee – who is Ben Simmons’ agent – is very happy with the way his client has been treated by the Nets.” The bond between Butler and Simmons doesn’t stop when we think about their time with the Philadelphia 76ers. There was constant speculation that the two did not like each other.
It is also worth noting that Lee’s satisfaction with the treatment of Simmons by the Nets does not matter much, since he has played only 57 games in the last two seasons. Butler isn’t known for a heavy workload in the regular season, so the lack of pressure could appeal to him. There are two realistic ways Butler could end up in Brooklyn.
Either he gives up on the dream of retiring with a ring, or the Nets try to put together a super team again. With Butler hailed as one of the most competitive players in the NBA, the first path seems indisputable. The Big Three of Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving split against the Nets, meaning a second attempt so soon seems illogical.
Speculation about Butler’s departure from the Heat will continue until the day he signs his next contract.