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Former NBA All-Star Seeking Max Contract This Summer

Originally posted on Last Word On Sports
By Elie Deglaoui | Last updated 5/2/24

Miami Heat wing Jimmy Butler is reportedly hoping to get paid big money this offseason, according to Anthony Chiang.

Jimmy Butler, who turns 35 on Sept. 14, is expected to seek a maximum two-year contract extension worth about $113 million from the Heat this offseason, according to a league source.

Chiang’s report comes less than 24 hours after the Heat were eliminated in the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs by the Boston Celtics. Butler missed the entire series after suffering an MCL injury.

During the regular season, the Marquette alum played 60 games. In those games, he averaged 20.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5 assists per game. Furthermore, Butler averaged 1.3 steals per game and shot a career-high 41.4% from the three-point line.

Butler has spent the last five years of his career in Miami after joining as a free agent in 2019. In that time, the Heat have made two NBA Finals appearances.

The 34-year-old has a $52 million player option for the 2025-26 season. If he signs a two-year extension, Butler will be under contract until he is 38 years old.

Jimmy Butler is expected to seek a maximum two-year contract extension worth about $113M from the Heat this offseason.

Butler and his camp are expected to push for that extension before the upcoming season. Not offering the extension this offseason could lead to a disgruntled… pic.twitter.com/Oen3iP4hCJ

— (@HeatvsHaters) May 2, 2024

Former NBA All-Star Seeking Max Contract This Summer

Extending Jimmy Butler is a Risky Move

For a half-decade, Butler has been the Heat’s franchise player. Without him on the team, it is unlikely the Heat have the success they have had in recent history. However, extending Butler’s contract may not be in the franchise’s best interest. From strictly a basketball standpoint, it is tough to give a max contract to a 34-year-old coming off a season-ending knee injury. Furthermore, due to the high salary, a potential Butler extension would jeopardize the team’s future cap space.

Additionally, Heat center Bam Adebayo is eligible for at least a max contract this summer. Adebayo turns 27 in July and is a finalist for the 2024 NBA Defensive Player of the Year award. Chiang laid out what Adebayo’s next contract may look like.

Adebayo, who turns 27 on July 18, is eligible to sign a four-year, $245 million extension this offseason with the Heat if he meets the supermax criteria. He can become eligible for a supermax extension by winning the Defensive Player of the Year award (he’s one of the three finalists for the honor) or by being named to an All-NBA team (first, second or third) this season. But if Adebayo doesn’t qualify for the supermax, he will instead be eligible for a three-year contract worth $165 million. Any extension Adebayo signs this offseason would begin in the 2026-27 season.

The Last Word on Jimmy Butler

Butler has been the embodiment of Heat basketball for some time. Because of this, rewarding him with an extension as a sign of goodwill is an option. The Heat have some big decisions to make this summer if they want to make it back to the NBA Finals and bring another championship to Miami.

This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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