Report: Heat land Butler in sign-and-trade deal with 76ers
The Miami Heat are finalizing a sign-and-trade with the Philadelphia 76ers for Jimmy Butler, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Josh Richardson will be sent to Philadelphia as part of the deal, Wojnarowski adds.
Butler will reportedly sign a four-year, $142-million max deal with the Heat, sources told The Athletic's Shams Charania.
Looking to clear space for Butler, Miami was working on a deal with the Dallas Mavericks. Initial reports suggested Goran Dragic was poised to be part of such a trade, but talks fell apart. The Mavericks "changed course" due to Dragic's salary after initial interest in the point guard, his agent, Bill Duffy, told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne.
The Heat are now working with Dragic's agent to find a third team to take on his contract and free up the necessary salary to complete the Butler sign-and-trade, a league source told Shelburne.
Reports on Saturday indicated Butler was set to meet with the Heat in South Florida on Sunday. Butler was believed to be impressed with the organization after playing in Dwyane Wade's final home game in April.
Miami will be Butler's fourth NBA address. He averaged 18.2 points in 55 games for the Sixers this past season but wasn't a clean fit offensively alongside Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.
Butler, who turns 30 in September, immediately becomes the Heat's featured player, a two-way star who immediately raises their talent level.
The 76ers get back a solid two-way player in his own right in Richardson.