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MIAMI – As Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler has been the face of trade speculation, he spoke for the first time since his five-game absence after Tuesday's practice about his desire to stay with the team. With the rumors of Butler ramping up, he provided a response to the media about wanting to stay with the Heat, emphasizing he likes the talk around him.
“That’s a good question. Who knows? But right now I’m here, so I’m going to make the most of it,” Butler said Tuesday. “And I am gonna compete, and I'm gonna win, and that's all I got. It's a lot of talk. It is a lot of noise, which I'm cool with. It doesn't bother me at all. You know, I love it. I thrive in that. But it keeps all y'all wondering. It does. Keeps the world wondering to where y'all gotta keep coming back asking me about something. So I like it. It's good to be talked about. Even better to be wanted, though.”
Despite all the rumors, one that caused even more stir was when ESPN's Shams Charania reported that Butler prefers to be traded before the Feb. 6 deadline. The 35-year-old star would be asked dead on if he wants to be traded and didn't give a straightforward response.
“Does it matter? I don't think so,” Butler said. “All of that's out of my control anyway so that's it. I'm here, I'm hooping.”
Heat's Jimmy Butler speaks on the possibility of playing out the season
In one part of this saga, Heat president Pat Riley issued a statement that spoke about the outside noise being a distraction and said that they would not be trading Butler. Butler would be asked about the statement and the possible situation of him playing out the season, plus if he will be content with that happening.
Once again, Butler was non-committal, saying that “only time will tell” and would acknowledge how basketball is a “business” and that he would not “have any hard feelings” if he were to be traded or not. He would make it a point to mention though how “happy” he currently is, especially coming after the stomach illness that has kept him out for the past five games.
“I don't know. We will see. Only time will tell,” Butler said. “I can't tell you what's going to happen come tomorrow, but I appreciate the statement, but this is a business after all, so I know what is capable. I won't have any hard feelings either way.”
“That's up to Pat and them,” Butler continued. “They're gonna do what's best for the organization, as they should, as long as I'm happy, and right now I'm in a good space. I got my kids here, I'm healthy, I'm smiling, promise you on that.”
Another eye-opening moment was when asked about his future with the team and if he has discussed this topic with Riley, Butler asked for the “next” question to be asked by reporters.
Jimmy Butler on if the outside noise is a distraction for the Heat
One part of Riley's statement that stood out besides the proclamation about Butler was that the outside noise was becoming a distraction for the rest of the team who are competing. Butler would say to ClutchPoints that the team has been through it before and is glad the rumors are about him and no one else since the other can focus on basketball.
“I mean, I think we're used to that by now, all the outside noise, at least it's not about anybody else,” Butler said. “At least it's about me, also everybody else gets the free rein to go and hoop, and play free, and me too, because I honestly do not care about getting traded, where I'm supposed to go, who's seeing what, I play through that easily.”
It remains to be seen what happens to Butler, but now that he's healthy, he confirmed along with Erik Spoelstra that the plan for him is to play tomorrow when the Heat take on the New Orleans Pelicans.
