According to Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel, Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler could want a contract worth more than Boston Celtics standout Jaylen Brown’s five-year, $304 million supermax deal.
“And what will most likely have Jimmy Butler asking for an extension soon enough, in essence asking for something even beyond Jaylen Brown money,” Winderman wrote.
Butler is under contract with the Miami Heat for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons. In addition, he has a player option for more than $52 million in the 2025-26 season.
The six-time All-Star could choose to opt out of his contract and become a free agency before the 2025-26 season. He’d turn 36 just before the start of the regular season.
Winderman put Butler’s potential earnings into perspective by breaking down the stats in Brown’s recent agreement with Boston.
“The numbers are mind-numbing: $52.4 million in 2024-25, $56.6 million in 2025-26, $60.8 million in 2026-27, $64.9 million in 2027-28, and $69.1 million in 2028-29,” Winderman said. “So, yes, the 82-game NBA season is on the verge of paying $1 million per game.”
Brown, who is considerably younger than Butler, is paid a lot of money, yet it might be argued that Butler is the better player right now.
Butler has led the Miami Heat to two NBA Finals visits and three Eastern Conference Finals appearances in his four seasons with the franchise, and he has done so without the help of a second star like Jayson Tatum, who Brown has in Boston.
Butler averaged 22.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game while shooting 53.9 percent from the field and 35.0 percent from beyond the arc in 2022-23.
Butler, a fantastic two-way player, has been vital in Miami’s success since his arrival.
The Heat might be in a pickle if Butler decides to opt out of his contract in a few years and want a Brown-like contract, especially given that Butler is considerably older than the Celtics’ star is today. The Heat would not want to jeopardize their long-term prospects by agreeing to a deal with Butler while he is on the decline.
For the time being, Miami does not have to worry about that because Butler is under contract for at least two more seasons. The team’s and Butler’s goal should be to win a championship in the next two seasons before thinking about what his new contract might or might not look like.
Leave a Reply