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Miami, FL
Sources: Butler reiterates trade demand to Heat
Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler reiterated to team president Pat Riley in a face-to-face meeting last week that he wants to be traded, league sources told ESPN.
Butler told Riley that he will not sign a new deal in Miami and that he intends to use his $52 million player option for 2025-26 in the offseason only as a trade maneuver, sources said.
Butler’s seven-game, team-issued suspension from the Heat — for what was termed “detrimental conduct” — ends Thursday, at which point Miami will be faced with finding a path forward for Butler, with options including a return to the roster or a trade. Heat officials will meet later this week to discuss the best route with Butler, who requested a trade earlier this month, league sources said.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra and players such as Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo have spoken in the past week about finding clarity and eliminating the distraction of Butler’s circumstances during his absence.
The Heat, 20-18 and in seventh place in the Eastern Conference standings, have gone 3-2 so far on their current six-game road trip. They finish the trip Wednesday against the Los Angeles Lakers, then host the Denver Nuggets on Friday in Miami.
“This is what we wanted, just to get back on the road, get away from all the chaos,” Herro told reporters after Saturday night’s win over the Portland Trail Blazers. “Rallying around each other, making it about the guys that are here now. We got enough.”
The Heat suspended Butler on Jan. 3, saying in a statement, “Through his actions and statements, he has shown he no longer wants to be part of this team. Jimmy Butler and his representative have indicated that they wish to be traded, therefore, we will listen to offers.”
Spoelstra said the day after Butler’s suspension that the team aimed to “quiet all the distractions.”
The Heat have engaged with multiple teams on Butler trade scenarios and have received offers but have been hesitant to negotiate further, sources said. Riley has not shown an urgency in these talks, as the trade deadline looms Feb. 6, sources added.
ESPN reported on Christmas Day that Butler prefers a trade out of Miami, with the Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets as desired destinations. One day later, Riley issued a statement that said, in part: “We will make it clear — we are not trading Jimmy Butler.”
In the midst of that, Butler was sidelined. After 13 days away from the team due to what was called an illness and reconditioning period, Butler had two low-impact games in his return. Butler scored nine points in 25 minutes in a Jan. 1 win over the New Orleans Pelicans and then nine points in 27 minutes in a blowout loss to the Indiana Pacers one night later. He took a total of 11 shots over those two games.
One issue that led to Butler’s decision to request a trade, sources said, was an implication from team officials that he hadn’t played his hardest in the Heat’s victory over the Pelicans on New Year’s Day. Butler had made clear to the Heat before his suspension that he planned to partake in team activities while his status is in limbo, sources said.
Butler is in the final year of a contract that pays him $49 million this season and has a player option for 2025-26. His suspension is slated to cost him $2.35 million, but the National Basketball Players Association filed a grievance, calling the suspension “excessive and inappropriate.”
Butler, 35, is averaging 17.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.7 assists while shooting a career-best 55.2% from the field this season — but his 10.5 field goal attempts per game is his fewest since 2013-14. In his career, Butler has been selected to five All-NBA teams, including three during his Heat tenure. His teams have made the playoffs in 12 of his 13 seasons, including the five previous campaigns with Miami, which he has led to two NBA Finals and one additional Eastern Conference finals.
If you’re a diehard pizza fanatic in Miami, you’ll soon be able to check another renowned style off your list without leaving home. Arriving in October 2026, Royale Pizza Napoletana will debut at 1680 Meridian Avenue, introducing South Florida to the exceptionally precise world of Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza. This highly anticipated opening marks the monumental stateside arrival of legendary Japanese pizzaiolo Chef Bun, the mastermind behind Tokyo’s genre-defining concept, Savoy.
RECOMMENDED: Where to find the best pizza in Miami
The restaurant is the brainchild of banking entrepreneur and restaurateur Jess Varughese, the innovator behind Miami’s ultra-exclusive, members-only hotspot, Haiku. After experiencing Chef Bun’s “perfect pizzas” during a trip to Japan, Varughese envisioned bringing this science-driven culinary movement to sunny South Florida. To ensure absolute authenticity, Varughese assembled an elite culinary team. Alongside Chef Bun, the kitchen features Haiku Executive Chef Albert Diaz and Chef Dalila Sabatino, a rising pizzaiola talent praised by Bun who previously trained at Los Angeles’ acclaimed Pizzeria Sei.
What sets Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza apart is its rigorous, chemistry-like execution. At Royale, the dough undergoes a meticulous 30+ hour fermentation process. Varughese and his team spent hundreds of hours adjusting the recipe, combining artisan flours with the Autolyse technique and even altering Miami’s water softness to match Japan’s famously soft water. Pizzas are then baked fresh in an 800-degree oven. The resulting crust achieves an ethereal balance of lightness, chewiness, char and crunch. As Varughese notes, having Chef Bun’s 20-plus years of innovation on board elevates the entire culinary game.
Royale will be fast-casual, yet polished, with seating for 65 guests including a large community table at its center. Staying true to an accessible vibe, the restaurant will operate on a first-come, first-served walk-in basis with no reservations, though takeout and delivery will be available. You’ll order at a main counter from a carefully curated menu featuring antipasti, two pastas, two mains and seven distinct pizzas—including four traditional options and three specials. This is a pizza spot that deserves the hype, so stay up to date on their progress at @royalenapoletana ahead of the official October launch.
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — A 12-year-old girl was shot in the arm after gunfire erupted in a northwest Miami-Dade neighborhood early Tuesday morning, according to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies said they responded just before 1 a.m. to the area of Northwest 64th Street and Northwest 21st Avenue in the county’s Gladeview area, where they found three vehicles struck by gunfire, including a silver Hyundai.
“The car was parked outside of the residence. It was occupied by three juveniles, so it was the girl and her two siblings that were in the vehicle. The mom was outside of the vehicle at the time, so this could have been a very different outcome,” MDSO Detective Samantha Choon said.
Authorities said Miami-Dade Fire Rescue medics transported the girl to a nearby hospital in stable condition.
A family member of the victim told Local 10’s Jackie Pascale that the girl is now home and doing OK.
They said neither her siblings nor their mother was injured in the shooting.
According to investigators, no arrests have been made, and detectives have not released any suspect information at this time.
Neighbor Marie Grimes said she was shaken after hearing multiple gunshots.
“I heard the booms — boom, boom, boom, boom — and I said, ‘Oh my God, what’s happening?’” she said. “Maybe five or six, ’cause look at that right there. I’m just glad the little girl is OK.”
Investigators asked neighbors to check their surveillance or Ring camera footage from around 1 a.m. and contact authorities with any information.
Anyone with information on the shooting is urged to contact Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477. Anonymous tips are accepted.
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