2024-25 NBA running thread

Pat Riley ain't here for your bullshit.

 

He has a one year opt in after the season but wants a 2 year extension. The Heat aren’t willing to commit because of his age and injuries. If push comes to shove, he will have to opt in because no one has the cap space to take him.

 

It's a combo. Yes, the contract is huge, and he wants a max extension. The current CBA makes it incredibly hard to trade large contracts. He's also 35 and misses a lot of time.

I've seen some hypothetical "this would be technically possible" trades, and almost all of them would require a team to give up more than I think Jimmy Butler is worth. (The exception to that is the Suns -- they would have to send Bradley Beal to Miami in the trade, and Riley would rather let Butler walk for nothing than take on Beal's contract.)

 

It seems like Beal has been hurt for three-fourths of his career. Hard pass.

 

And he's under contract for two more years after this one, with a deal that tops out at $57.1 million a year in 2026/27. Plus he has a no-trade clause and a 15% trade kicker.

He is as close to untradeable as anyone in the league. There might be a fool to make that move somewhere... but Pat Riley is no fool.

 

Mess with Riles at your peril.

 

This Heat team isn’t winning a playoff series without Butler. And probably not with him either.

 

Honestly, as soon as the new year dawns, some big name player will be requesting a trade, demanding more "pieces" around him or wanting the coach canned. EVERY JANUARY.

 

Since their three game winning streak early in the year, their first in a couple of years, the Blazers have gone 5-14

 

In the good old days, Riles would simply trade Butler to the San Diego Clippers or the New Orleans Jazz and say “ you want a trade? Here you go”. Meanwhile the other team would sell it as “look we finally got a superstar!!”

 

Meanwhile as everyone points to the Heat and says look over there, Bulls retiring Rose’s number. Curious. I know he was good and when he was in the court, he was hard to match. But often injured. No titles. One MVP. Retire his number?

 

What the hell else do they have to celebrate that last 15 years?