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Report Details Jimmy Butler's Offseason Plans Regarding Contract Extension
Michael Laughlin-USA TODAY Sports

It seems Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler is more patient than we thought.

The past several weeks have been about him requesting a max contract extension this summer but it appears those demands are on hold. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Butler will not pursue the extension.

Instead, he will remain under his current contract with hopes of leading the Heat back to the playoffs.

"He's going to play out next season under his current contract with the Heat," Charania said during an appearance on Stadium. "I'm told (Jimmy Butler) will not be signing an extension with the Heat or any other team ahead of his opt-out in 2025 free agency. This clears up any notion of a trade demand by out of Jimmy Butler. He intends to play out next season. He has an affinity for Miami, wants to be with the Heat next season."

Butler can now focus on this season while also preparing for the next summer when he has the option of becoming a free agent. It would give him a chance to chase an even bigger payday.

"I'm told Jimmy Butler is absolutely determined to have a big season next year and set himself up for a major payday in 2025 free agency," Charania said.

If this holds true, Butler will enter his sixth season with the Heat. He has led them to the postseason each year, advancing to two NBA Finals.

This article first appeared on Miami Heat on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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Bulls reinforce directionless future with questionable Josh Giddey offer
NBA

Bulls reinforce directionless future with questionable Josh Giddey offer

Josh Giddey, like most of his fellow restricted free agents, has spent much of the summer holding out for the best possible contract offer. The 22-year-old has reportedly been looking for a deal that pays him close to $30 million annually, but that's a pipe dream for a player who hasn't made positive contributions on a winning team. However, he may have just received the best offer he'll get from the Chicago Bulls — or any team, for that matter. Following extension talks that have spent weeks in limbo, the Bulls put a long-term offer on the table, according to Chicago Sports Network's K.C. Johnson. The deal would reportedly pay Giddey an average of $20 million per year, a much more reasonable number. Giddey will be hard-pressed to find a more lucrative contract offer, despite his potential. No matter how long he waits, no team is going to throw borderline All-Star money for a player with pronounced weaknesses. He has averaged 14.1 points, 7.5 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game across four seasons. For that reason, Giddey should take Chicago's offer. But even if the Bulls do keep their guy, an extension of this magnitude would only reinforce what many believe about the team: It's a franchise with no direction. Possessing a roster without a true star, the Bulls are setting themselves up for disappointment if they expect Giddey to reach that level of effectiveness. The franchise would be better off betting on Coby White's future rather than a guard who struggles to both shoot and defend. Giddey should be elated that the Bulls decided to meet him halfway on a contract offer, especially considering his lack of other suitors. If an extension does get done, though, Chicago will eventually look back and wonder if those resources could have been better spent elsewhere. With a return to the draft lottery likely, the Bulls don't have any expectations for 2025-26. But rather than try something new after several years of underperforming and missing the playoffs for three straight seasons, Chicago is falling into the trap of committing to mediocrity.

Steelers undrafted rookie reportedly upset Mike Tomlin before being cut
NFL

Steelers undrafted rookie reportedly upset Mike Tomlin before being cut

The Pittsburgh Steelers surprisingly had a few quality undrafted free agents during 2025 training camp and preseason, as many of them have put up an actual fight to make it to the 53-man roster. Unfortunately, there is very little room on the team, so some very tough decisions will have to be made on that front. Guys like Max Hurleman and JJ Galbreath have been stating their case throughout camp and into gameday, giving the coaching staff a good problem. One decision was surprisingly easy, however. During his weekly Q A chat, insider Ray Fittipaldo was asked about undrafted rookie Roc Taylor and why he was let go right after the preseason Week 2 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He spoke about something that happened right before that contest. "[Roc Taylor] actually got in Tomlin's doghouse at the joint practice," Fittipaldo said. "Not sure if that's the sole reason he was cut, but maybe part of it." Fittipaldo would not expand on what happened, but head coach Mike Tomlin saw enough of the rookie before gameday. It looked like Taylor would at least get first dibs on a practice-squad spot if he was released on roster cutdown day, but now, it seems like his chance of developing in Pittsburgh is gone entirely. Now, he is just hoping someone gives him a call for a chance to be on a practice squad elsewhere. It seemed like Taylor's stock was rising after preseason Week 2. Hurleman had a very rough game, and the former Memphis Tigers standout had three receptions for 39 yards against the Bucs. He was the second-leading receiver on the team, only behind Roman Wilson. It looked like he was forcing himself onto a roster spot, but apparently, Tomlin might have just been waiting until after the game to tell him to pack his bags and try again somewhere else. Steelers' Recent Receiver Issues Make Taylor Cut Even More Concerning What makes this decision even more rough is the fact that the Steelers have three receivers who are not healthy at all. Calvin Austin III is trying to return after missing multiple weeks of practice with an injury, Ben Skowronek recently developed a toe issue and utility man Jonnu Smith has barely participated in practice since July. Spots were opening up for undrafted rookies to take, but Taylor may have said or done something inexcusable enough to lose that chance. The Steelers entered training camp with questionable wide receiver depth, and now it's only more concerning. Wilson's recent development has been the bright spot of the preseason at that position, as Scotty Miller has been taking over the role of WR3 since the game against Tampa Bay. That's why they brought in another possibly injured veteran, Gabe Davis, for a visit, and now they may be hoping that he does not sign elsewhere. Instead of Taylor taking the opportunity to push for a roster spot, guys like Hurleman and Brandon Johnson will be looking to make the team and stick around as numerous players recover from their injuries. With Davis having another visit on Wednesday and the Steelers playing in the preseason finale on Thursday, he most likely will not be signed until after that game. That means the bubble players can prove to the team that they don't need him. It's not public in regards to what Taylor did to get himself in trouble, but he could have had this prime opportunity to be on an active roster as an undrafted rookie. He could have easily been above Hurleman and Johnson on the depth chart. Instead, he is just hoping he makes any team's practice squad now.

Changing of the guard: Power ranking 2025's NFL Week 1 QB changes
NFL

Changing of the guard: Power ranking 2025's NFL Week 1 QB changes

The Indianapolis Colts announced Daniel Jones as their starting quarterback on Tuesday, making them the 12th team to have a different starting QB from Week 1 last season. Who's better off, and who will regret making a switch? Below, we rank the 12 quarterbacks from worst to best, plus reveal whether each team upgraded or downgraded this offseason. 12. New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler or Tyler Shough 2024 Week 1 starter: Derek Carr The Saints are the league's only team without a named Week 1 starter. Both candidates have experienced some highs and lows in August, with little separating the two before an informative preseason Week 3 game on Saturday against the Denver Broncos. Verdict: DOWNGRADE 11. Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones 2024 Week 1 starter: Anthony Richardson Sr. Richardson's benching signals a massive failure on the part of the Colts front office, led by general manager Chris Ballard, and head coach Shane Steichen, who was tasked with developing the raw prospect into an NFL starter. Over Jones' last 16 starts with the New York Giants from 2023-24, he averaged 186.2 passing yards per game and threw 10 touchdowns with 13 interceptions. Verdict: DOWNGRADE 10. Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco 2024 Week 1 starter: Deshaun Watson After a successful five-game stint with the Browns in 2023, Flacco, 40, is back for another run. While undoubtedly an improvement over Watson, the 18-year veteran has an alarming 15 interceptions in 13 games (11 starts) over the past two seasons. Verdict: UPGRADE 9. Tennessee Titans quarterback Cameron Ward 2024 Week 1 starter: Will Levis The Titans should expect the natural rookie up-and-downs from Ward, 2025's No. 1 overall pick. Over his first two preseason starts, Ward is 7-of-15 for 109 yards. Still, he's a vast improvement over Levis, who provided more comedic gold than wins last season. Verdict: UPGRADE 8. New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson 2024 Week 1 starter: Daniel Jones Wilson is in the twilight of his career, but the 10-time Pro Bowler, who has 42 touchdowns and 13 interceptions since 2023, has a much higher floor than Jones. Verdict: UPGRADE 7. New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields 2024 Week 1 starter: Aaron Rodgers Fields is a dynamic runner and showed improvement as a passer in six starts with the Pittsburgh Steelers last season. But after signing a short two-year deal in free agency, it's clear there remains doubt over whether he can be a long-term starter in the league. Verdict: DOWNGRADE 6. Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy 2024 Week 1 starter: Sam Darnold McCarthy could be better in the long run than Darnold, but we'd expect the 2024 first-rounder, who missed all of last season with a torn meniscus, to offer fewer rewards than his predecessor early in his career. Verdict: DOWNGRADE 5. Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold 2024 Week 1 starter: Geno Smith Darnold was one of the best stories in 2024, ending the year with 4,315 yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while leading the Vikings to a 14-3 regular season. However, his disappointing end to the season and struggles against pressure make it harder to see him as any better than the quarterback he replaces. Verdict: DOWNGRADE 4. Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. 2024 Week 1 starter: Kirk Cousins Penix was promising in a three-game sample size at the end of 2024, quickly forming a connection with wideout Drake London, who had 22 receptions on 39 targets, 352 yards and two touchdowns during the span. Verdict: UPGRADE 3. New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye 2024 Week 1 starter: Jacoby Brissett The plan was always for Brissett to keep the seat warm for Maye, who looked like a potential star in 12 starts last season, ending the year with 2,276 passing yards and 421 rushing yards. Verdict: UPGRADE 2. Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers 2024 Week 1 starter: Justin Fields While far from his peak, Rodgers can still sling the football. Per NFL Pro data, he finished last season No. 5 in expected points added per dropback on deep pass attempts (balls that travel at least 20 air yards). Verdict: UPGRADE 1. Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith 2024 Week 1 starter: Gardner Minshew Smith completed 70.4 percent of his pass attempts in 2024, two seasons after leading the NFL in completion percentage (69.8 percent). He's proved himself time and time again over the past three seasons and will likely do it again in 2025. Verdict: UPGRADE

Edmonton Oilers: What To Expect From Howard and Savoie
NHL

Edmonton Oilers: What To Expect From Howard and Savoie

Edmonton Oilers fans haven’t awaited rookie wingers since Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle. It fits into General Manager Stan Bowman’s offseason plan to ice a younger roster on opening night of this coming season. But what are the realistic expectations for Isaac Howard and Matt Savoie? How much of an impact do we believe they can make right away? There’s more to having a good prospect pool than just how high your draft selections are, nobody understands that more than we do. It’s about who you use those draft picks on, the positional needs and how you develop them. This case is, I think, more interesting because Edmonton didn’t draft these two. They had to give up good pieces in deals in order to get them. Ryan McLeod was a speedy and serviceable center before being traded for Savoie. Sam O’Reilly was one of Edmonton’s top prospects before being traded for Howard. The Oilers have a lengthy history in wrecking the development of most players not taken in the first round, but also more than enough blunders in the first round. One reason for that is having young players succumb to a losing culture during the Decade of Darkness, and there wasn’t enough good veterans to take some of the workload off. The other reason is not putting them in positions where they could help contribute and succeed. If I list every single example, I’ll never finish writing this piece. But I should probably reference at least a few. I never agreed with the decision to select Nail Yakupov, and the people in Oilers management at the time were forced by ownership to do so, despite needing to look more into addressing defense. However, though a 1st overall bust, I also concede that Yakupov may’ve sustained a longer NHL career, had another team won the 2012 Draft Lottery and given him consistent top 6 minutes. I had nothing against him as a person, he was just another offense first winger, and struggled to make his way in an organization that used to make individual point totals the be-all and end-all. He didn’t have the skillset to make linemates better, his production and value were solely dependent on who he had as linemates. This draft choice was a complete disregard of roster holes that they wasted their chance to improve, either through another choice of prospect or through a trade for immediate help. Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway were barely keeping Ken Holland’s draft record as Oilers GM alive before they signed their offer sheets. Oilers fans spent five years on Twitter hating the Broberg pick, now look how solid he was in St. Louis this season with top 4 ice time. 29 points was also pretty good production for a defenseman under the age of 25. I hoped he’d change his mind about wanting to leave after the 2024 Playoffs, he got his chances midway into Round 3 and played respectable hockey. But when your team values Vincent Desharnais in a #7 role, and doesn’t even offer that to someone they selected 9th overall, you know it’s time to move on. I always dreamed he’d be Evan Bouchard’s future partner(sigh). Wouldn’t he’ve been a nice eventual replacement for Mattias Ekholm? Holloway scored 2 goals in Game 2 of Round 1 in that postseason while on the fourth line. He produced more as those Playoffs went on(with top 6 linemates, finally). He signed his offer sheet believing there’d never be more room for him on this team’s top 6, that was a totally fair reason in hindsight before this season was played out. To people who say the Oilers never have enough depth to help out their stars, let me ask you a rhetorical question. How many other teams would put Mattias Janmark on their top line instead of their top prospects or top free agent signings? Holloway was a 60+ point player for the Blues in 2024/2025, and is still listed as a second line winger on the Daily Faceoff website. If scoring forwards aren’t playing with other scoring forwards, they’re useless and are just taking up roster spots for nothing. Some people believe Edmonton should’ve drafted Trevor Zegras, Matt Boldy or Cole Caufield instead of Broberg in 2019. Knowing this franchise’s quirks, I can absolutely guarantee either of them would’ve gotten the same treatment. Caufield actually was getting that treatment in Montreal before the Canadiens hired Martin St. Louis as their head coach in 2022. Does anyone still think he shouldn’t play with Nick Suzuki? It was considered a miracle in 2016 when the Columbus Blue Jackets passed up on Jesse Puljujarvi with the 4th overall pick. A two-way winger with size, but the language barrier and culture change were issues for the young Finn. There was a game in the 2018/2019 season against the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he used his body positioning to keep an opposing player away from the puck in the offensive zone before Leon Draisaitl scored. A play like that would normally put your name in a coach’s good books. Instead, Puljujarvi was a healthy scratch the next game. It’s nearly impossible for younger players to gain confidence if they’re not rewarded for good shifts and are put on shorter leashes than older players. Dave Tippett may’ve been the coach who cared the most about this player’s development, and he had a good start to the 2021/2022 season before injuries and COVID brought him down. He did a lot more positive things on the ice, but hardly ever found the back of the net. Before inevitably being traded out of Edmonton, he stated in a Finnish media interview that he should’ve had an easier time producing alongside Connor McDavid. But if you’re not with top players consistently, you can’t develop that offensive acumen. Let’s go a little more back in time to the 2011 Boston Bruins, who won the Stanley Cup with a pair of rookies themselves. Brad Marchand had a modest regular season with 41 points, and was great in the Playoffs with 19 points. Tyler Seguin was picked 2nd overall the year before, after Boston made a blockbuster trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs that included a young Phil Kessel. He had 22 points in the regular season and 7 points in the Playoffs. While Seguin’s tenure with the Bruins didn’t last long, nor was it as productive as anticipated, his best game as a Bruin was a 4 point night in Game 2 of Round 3. Before he moved to Dallas, you’d almost think he was an Oilers prospect. Do I expect Isaac Howard to be on Edmonton’s top line all the way from Game 1 to Game 82? No, I suspect he’ll start with third line minutes and eventually work his way higher in the lineup. Also take into account that Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman were both invited to Team Canada’s Olympics orientation camp along with McDavid. I’m not saying those two will 100% make the cut, but their current team will count it as an audition to keep that familiar line together. Matt Savoie could be a top 6 regular sooner than Howard because he already has experience playing with Draisaitl last season. Savoie’s first, and so far, lone NHL point was registered with good work along the boards before passing the puck to 29 in the slot. It’s possible that Kris Knoblauch may slightly favor Savoie because he killed penalties in the AHL. I still expect room to be made as well for David Tomasek and Curtis Lazar, though much older, in some gameday lineups, because their center depth doesn’t have other right-handed options. But I have just one simple plea that I’ve already sort of hinted before asking. Don’t bother drafting, signing or trading for players if you won’t let them be themselves and play to their strengths. Last summer, all of us, myself included, prematurely deemed Jeff Jackson the greatest interim GM of all time after he signed Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson. Skinner was almost never in the top 6, and Arvidsson’s minutes decreased as last season went on. Neither even hit 30 points, and they wound up being a waste of $7M that could’ve been useful at the Trade Deadline. I promise this’ll be the last paragraph, but I think you understand what my views are on this topic from everything else I’ve written. It’s inevitable for every up and comer to make an on ice mistake. That doesn’t mean they should be chastised all season long. Of course allow them to learn first and hold them accountable nicely. But also reward them and make them feel confident that are good enough to play with the big boys. Hall and Eberle had 60, 70, and 80 point seasons in the pre-McDrai era without an elite center. 40-50 point campaigns from both Howard and Savoie alongside McDrai shouldn’t be totally out of the question. I’d actually like to see Nugent-Hopkins moved down to the second powerplay unit and the two rookies can get PP minutes with him. Having Noah Philp make the team as a fourth line center option, making that three rookies, might be a lot to ask right now. But that’s how you help keep a window for Stanley Cup contention open longer, you have to trust your youth. Please don’t mess up these two, don’t add them to the list of Oilers prospect casualties. If they also won’t be used the right way, I never again want to hear about prospects and draft picks.

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