The potential Jimmy Butler-Heat breakup will have to wait.
Amid rumors that the veteran star could be traded, Heat president Pat Riley said Thursday the team will not be trading Butler.
“We usually don’t comment on rumors, but all this speculation has become a distraction to the team and is not fair to the players and coaches,” Riley said in a statement released by the franchise. “Therefore, we will make it clear – We are not trading Jimmy Butler.”
Rumors had swirled recently about Butler being on the move amid an ESPN report that he wanted to leave the organization during his sixth season with the team.
Ironically, the Miami Herald reported one of the reasons for Butler’s desire to potentially land with another team centered on the Heat not publicly shooting down the trade rumors.
Well, Riley did exactly that Thursday.
More to come on this developing story