NBA Insider Skeptical Jimmy Butler Lands With Kings

Don’t expect to see Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler wearing a Sacramento Kings uniform anytime soon.

Rumors emerged Tuesday afternoon the Kings could make a play for Butler, who requested a trade earlier this month. Any potential Butler-Kings trade would theoretically likely bring All-Star guard De’Aaron Fox to Miami.

If the Kings do trade Fox, ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst is skeptical the move would also feature Butler.

“I do not believe that Jimmy Butler going to Sacramento is part of the option here,” Windhorst said on The Hoop Collective. “I have my reasons for that.”

Windhorst acknowledged the situation “could change.” He added that he was making those comments Tuesday night before the episode’s Wednesday release.

“There’s not been discussion, I think, with the Butler side,” Windhorst reported. “Not that that’s absolutely vital, but I can just leave it at that.”

ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported Monday the Heat aren’t wasting any time trying to find a suitor for Butler ahead of the Feb. 6 deadline. 

“I’m told the Heat remain engaged with multiple teams on potential Jimmy Butler deals,” Charania said. “That remain will so over the next week and a half.”

But?

“They have not yet received an offer that matches their asking price,” Charania continued.

HARDAWAY BLAMES SAGA ON RILEY

Hardaway previously sided with Pat Riley in the ongoing Butler-Heat feud.

That doesn’t mean Hardaway, who played under Riley during his time in Miami, thinks his former coach is entirely innocent.

During a recent appearance on The Draymond Green Show, Hardaway criticized Riley for allowing Butler too much freedom. Hardaway cited Butler’s tendency to fly private jets rather than travel with the team.

The Heat suspended Butler last week after he missed a team flight. Miami banished Butler on Monday following a practice walkout.

“That’s Pat’s fault to me,” Hardaway declared. 

Hardaway previously backed Riley in the Butler saga earlier this month. Butler’s agent, Bernie Lee, ripped Hardaway on social media last weekend.

Riley publicly called out Butler’s durability last spring, months before the two sides failed to agree on a new contract. The 35-year-old Butler had been vocal in wanting a max contract extension.

Butler requested a trade Jan. 2.

“Everybody deserves their money, all right?” Hardaway said. “But you can’t play 60 percent of the games, and I’m in the play-in game, and then we got to work just as hard to get to where we need to get to. 

“I need to not be in a play-in game,” Hardaway continued. “I need to be [the] sixth seed. If he plays 73, 75 games in a season, they’re the fourth seed. Easy. “

PERKINS WANTS BUTLER IN MEMPHIS

Former NBA champion Kendrick Perkins agrees Butler should join a Western Conference contender. He’s just not sure the Suns are the right team.

Instead, Perkins wants to see Butler trade his Heat threads for a Memphis Grizzlies uniform.

“I feel like this is the best destination for Jimmy Butler,” Perkins said Monday.

There’s one problem. A narrative persists that Butler doesn’t want to play in Memphis. Instead, he wants to team up with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker on the Suns.

Perkins said he’s not sure why Butler wouldn’t want to join a Grizzlies team with an established young core.

“If you think about the core four that they would have—Desmond Bane, Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Jimmy Butler … I might pick the Grizzlies to go to the Finals if Jimmy Butler was on this team,” Perkins declared.

Memphis entered play Tuesday at 31-16, only one game behind Houston for second place in the Western Conference. 

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Jake Elman works as a contributing writer to Miami Heat on SI. He can be reached at jakeelman97@gmail.com or follow him on X @JakeElman97.