With the Heat owing a first-round selection to the Thunder as early as in 2025 and to the Hornets as late as in 2028, that prohibits Miami from trading an unprotected pick from 2025 through 2029. That’s why only one of the Heat’s 2030 or 2031 first-round picks is currently available to be dealt without protections.

The Heat expect Jimmy Butler to resume playing after his seven-game suspension is over if he hasn’t been traded by then, a source close to the situation tells Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Management isn’t willing to let Butler stay away from the team and collect the remainder of his $48.8MM salary, Chiang adds.

If the Miami Heat fail to trade Jimmy Butler during his suspension, the 35-year-old could finish the season with the organization.

It’s been a rough stretch for the Miami Heat, and the Jimmy Butler situation is at the heart of it. A year ago, when the Heat were at a crossroads, they could’ve made a move to offload Butler and reset,

Pat Riley turns 80 in a couple of months. The Miami Heat president has not revealed any retirement timetable. He still wears impeccable suits, shakes hands with as firm of a grip as anyone, knows all eyes are on him when he walks into just about any room.