Heat Insider explains why Miami is in no rush, what incentive to trade Jimmy Butler

The NBA trade deadline is strictly more than six weeks away. However, that distance was shortened for the Miami Heat on Wednesday when news broke that forward Jimmy Butler preferred to be traded.

It was only that easy to move Butler – both for Butler himself and for the Heat, who would no doubt seek significant compensation for their franchise cornerstone of six years. IN a follow-up to Charania’s report Wednesday co-written with Anthony Chiang, Barry Jackson from Miami Herald outlined two major obstacles to providing the six-time All-Star.

“No team except the rebuilding Brooklyn Nets would have the necessary cap space to sign Butler to a max contract in free agency in July,” Jackson wrote. “The Heat (are) not at all worried about the possibility of losing him for nothing in free agency, a source with direct knowledge said.”

That’s important because a large part of the rift between Butler and Miami is believed to center on the Heat declining to offer him a max contract extension last offseason.

“The Heat have not been presented with an attractive trade offer. In fact, it’s unclear if the Heat have received any,” Jackson added.

Obviously, the situation will have to change if the Heat want Butler to wear a different uniform in the near future.