Pat Riley says the Miami Heat will not trade Jimmy Butler
If Jimmy Butler wants a trade, the Miami Heat have no plans to make him happy
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — If Jimmy Butler wants a trade, the Miami Heat have no plans to make him happy.
Heat President Pat Riley — in a rare move — spoke out to address rumors Thursday, saying the team has no plans to trade Butler. It's a clear sign that, if necessary, the team will be willing to let Butler leave as a free agent and get nothing in return.
“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," Riley said in a release distributed by the team. "Therefore, we will make it clear — we are not trading Jimmy Butler.”
The Heat play in Orlando on Thursday. Butler did not fly with the team to Orlando on Wednesday night, and his intentions for future games seem a bit unclear as well.
