Why letting Jimmy Butler walk at the end of the year may be the best option for the Heat

Jimmy Butler's team-issued seven-game suspension for "detrimental conduct" is almost over. The star forward could return when the Miami Heat host the Denver Nuggets on Jan. 17. But will/should he?

Regardless of Butler's availability against Denver, the overarching question still looms: How will his stalemate with the Heat end?

Amid the uncertainty, ESPN's Shams Charania noted that Butler recently "reiterated" his trade request to Heat president Pat Riley during an in-person meeting. Moreover, the six-time All-Star reportedly won't sign a contract extension with Miami and will use his $52.4 million player option for 2025-26 as leverage.

Given the circumstances, why don't the Heat rip the band-aid off and put the Butler fiasco behind them as soon as possible? First, if we've learned anything about how Riley conducts business, he calls the shots and kneels before no one. Secondly, and more importantly, Miami might be better off waiting until the summer to diffuse this situation that continues rearing its ugly head.

Subscribe to The Whiteboard, FanSided’s daily email newsletter on everything basketball. If you like The Whiteboard, share it with a friend! If you don’t like it, share it with an enemy!

Why letting Jimmy Butler walk at the end of the year may be the best option for the Heat

Technically, Butler holds the cards regarding his status for next season, which could be bad news for the Heat. He can opt into the final year of his existing deal. Nevertheless, Miami has played hardball (to this point) and should be willing to make that bet, considering the lack of alternative options.

As The Athletic's James Jackson ($) alludes to, Butler hasn't commanded a robust market since Miami elected to field offers for the 35-year-old. Excluding the Phoenix Suns, the one suitor who wants him "bad" but lacks the means of facilitating a swap, there hasn't been much noise. So, rather than forcing a trade and taking back a bad contract like Bradley Beal's, the Heat should keep exercising patience.

While the Heat won't recoup assets from letting Butler walk (if he decides to), shedding his salary from their payroll is equally as valuable. Riley and Co. would then have the financial flexibility to spend big in free agency this offseason and hand-pick personnel. Miami wouldn't have to build a roster featuring other organizations' misfit toys they received via trade.

Several intriguing players are expected to hit the open market this offseason. Myles Turner, Brandon Ingram, Jonathan Kuminga, Naz Reid and Bruce Brown, to name a few. Nevertheless, the Heat will presumably have no chance of recruiting any of them if they re-route Butler ahead of the league's Feb. 6 trade deadline.

And in the worst-case scenario, if Butler does utilize his player option, he's much more expendable on an expiring pact. A contender can add him as a one-year rental if they want to push their chips all in. Alternatively, a cellar dweller may be open to absorbing his lofty compensation for draft picks/future cap relief. Regardless, the incoming packages for Miami won't get any worse with time, making it worthwhile to stand pat and handle this in the coming months.

All eyes are on Butler and the Heat, and they may be for an extended period if Miami navigates the ongoing impasse wisely.