Jimmy Butler subtly teases playing for Lakers while attending Sparks game

If you thought Jimmy Butler was going to take rumors of the Miami Heat not offering him a max extension sitting down... think again.

As speculation about Butler's future in South Beach heats up (pun very much intended), the 34-year-old is subtly applying pressure to Pat Riley and the Miami front office. Butler has always been outspoken about his desires. He is comfortable getting uncomfortable. As such, these comments shouldn't come as much of a surprise.

Butler attended the Los Angeles Sparks game on June 8, there in part to cheer on talented rookie and future Olympian Cameron Brink. The reigning No. 2 pick out of Stanford happens to share Butler's jersey number — 22. Butler was interviewed courtside and made note of how nice '22' looked in purple and gold, the sort of observation a media-trained star of Butler's caliber does not make by accident.

Jimmy Butler invites Lakers buzz with comments about Cameron Brink, Sparks

In case you're out of the loop, Butler is eligible this offseason for a two-year, $113 million extension to keep him in Miami through his age-38 season. If the Heat decide not to oblige Butler with the max offer, he is expected to ask for a trade. Pat Riley has said Miami won't pay Butler, but that has not stopped the steady stream of rumors leaking out of Miami.

The Philadelphia 76ers and Golden State Warriors are two of potentially several teams lined up and ready to engage Miami on a potential Butler trade. While there is obvious risk tied to paying Butler so much, so late into his career, he is a proven winner who has led Miami to multiple NBA Finals appearances against all odds. That is the sort of talent teams tend to covet.

Butler, again, loves to cause chaos. He relishes the opportunity to exploit a perceived slight and embarrass those he perceives as disrespectful. We all remember, "Tobias Harris over me!?!"

If Butler thinks Miami is second-guessing his future, I wouldn't put it past him to continue making these sorts of comments. Even from the intonation of his voice, it's clear that Butler is trying to make a point.

The Los Angeles Lakers would be a rather obvious potential landing spot if Butler becomes available. Rob Pelinka is still in the market for a third star if a suitable option emerges. Butler also loves the warm weather and sunny beaches of Miami, as evidenced by his many Instagram posts on the subject. If he's going to relocate, a big-market winner in a sunny locale makes a lot of sense.

Would Butler and LeBron James fit together? Does Butler put Los Angeles on the same level as Denver, Minnesota, Dallas, and the West's powerhouse contenders? Maybe, maybe not. What is certain, however, is that No. 22 does look good in purple and gold. It wouldn't hurt for L.A. basketball fans to easily transition between '22' jerseys at Sparks and Lakers games, either.