Since Jimmy had his meeting with Micky Arison on Thursday, there is no doubt an uptick in (trade) discussions around Butler,' Windhorst said. 'The Heat shifted

Butler is owed $48M for the remainder of this season and then holds a $52 million player option for next year. There have been rumors that Butler could opt out of his deal to enter free agency this coming summer but the likelihood of Butler leaving over $50 million on the table is low.

Butler met with Heat president Pat Riley last week, and then met with Heat owner Micky Arison and chief executive officer Nick Arison on Thursday, according to league sources. Through it all, Butler has remained adamant about his desire to be traded.

As the Feb. 6 trade deadline approaches, the Miami Heat still seem unwilling to settle for a weaker return for Jimmy Butler.  Butler still wants a maximum contr

Pat Riley is no stranger to difficult moments with superstar players, but it’s increasingly clear that he may now be facing his most challenging standoff yet.