Miami Heat: Jimmy Butler Is Worth Extension And It Must Be Done Immediately
By Isiah Curry
Entering an offseason with a slew of mulling decisions, the Miami Heat are coming prepared with their pens and checkbooks on hand. Just days after a first-round postseason elimination by the Milwaukee Bucks, several reports have surfaced throughout the media regarding both the Heat and the potential future of All-Star Forward, Jimmy Butler.
The Heat’s primary scorer (21.5 points per game) and NBA regular season leader in steals (2.1) is expected to seek a four-year, $181 million maximum extension this summer. While the final year of Butler’s contract is guaranteed for next season, he’ll still be eligible to sign a Heat extension within the coming months.
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If, in fact, that both parties reach an agreement, Butler would earn over $40 million a year for the 2022-23, 2023-24, and 2025-26 seasons — and at 36 years of age, he’ll make just over $50.3 million in 2025-26. If Butler and the Heat do choose to hold-off on extension talks this summer, Butler will look forward to a $37,653,000 Player Option following the 2022-23 season.
In 2019, Miami signed Butler to a four-year deal worth $141 million after acquiring the star forward from the Philadelphia 76ers in a four team trade that offseason. Miami has already invested into Bam Adebayo, signing him to a five-year and $163 million extension last November.
Even then, Miami has a number of key free agents heading into the summer. They’ll have to address the impending statuses of Duncan Robinson, Kendrick Nunn (both RFA), Goran Dragic, and Victor Oladipo, but if there’s any desire to remain relevant and keep their championship window open, paying their absolute best player will keep those possibilities in play.