Jimmy Butler could screw over the Heat even further if they don't trade him now

The Jimmy Butler situation has deteriorated rapidly in South Beach.

The Miami Heat suspended their All-Star swingman for seven games and started taking trade calls, but Butler's preferred destination — and the only team willing to extend him — is in a pickle. The Phoenix Suns desperately want Butler, but without compelling trade ammo or a clear path to unloading Bradley Beal's albatross contract, there's not a path. It's a dead end.

Should Butler end up sticking in Miami past the trade deadline, it probably won't get prettier. Butler has never been shy about sowing discord in the locker room and creating problems on the court when he's dissatisfied. Few stars are more well-versed in the art of forcing their way to a new team.

That said, Miami isn't going to send Butler home for the season. Pat Riley is deathly serious about contending and if Butler is healthy and on the roster, he's going to wind up in the starting lineup. There is a widespread expectation that he will opt out of his contract and test free agency at season's end (assuming he's not in Phoenix), but Butler has an ace up his sleeve — and one that could twist the knife even deeper in Miami.

What if Butler picks up his $52 million contract option for the 2025-26 campaign?

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Jimmy Butler might keep Heat in limbo with contract opt-in

ESPN's Bobby Marks suspects that Butler will pick up his contract option for next season if the Heat don't trade him. He has a home in Miami and enjoys the South Beach lifestyle, and frankly, it doesn't seem like a long-term contract will be waiting for him in free agency.

So... this saga may drag on for a while.

This is probably not the worst outcome for Miami — it's better than losing him for nothing in free agency — but it's decidedly the least comfortable and the least productive. The Heat want to contend at the highest level for as long as Riley reigns over the front office. That won't happen with Butler in self-sabotage mode. A mopey, disengaged superstar can tank a team more violently than even the most ardent NBA Draft aspirations.

Butler's patience for this situation will be worth monitoring. He's going to create chaos in the build up to the Feb. 6 trade deadline, but what if he's still on the Heat roster come Feb. 7? Does he keep up the defiant act and bury the Heat single-handedly, or does he accept his situation and gun for another postseason berth. That is the question facing the Miami organization — and one Riley is no doubt interested to learn the answer to.

Right now, the odds frankly seem to favor Butler remaining in Miami for the rest of the season. The Suns pipe dream just does not work logistically unless Bradley Beal suddenly decides to play ball and push his way out the door. Beyond that, Butler has basically told every other contender to steer clear. Without guarantee of a long-term contract (or interest in giving him a long-term contract), no team will sacrifice real assets for a 34-year-old on an expiring deal. Especially not with Butler's injury history and notoriously combustive personality.

This is a stalemate built to last, unfortunately.