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Sources: Butler reiterates trade demand to Heat

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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.”

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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.”

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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.



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Who is Rueben Bain Jr\ufeff? Miami Hurricanes draft prospect visits Bengals

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Who is Rueben Bain Jr\ufeff? Miami Hurricanes draft prospect visits Bengals


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2026 NFL draft prospects Jacob Rodriguez of Texas Tech and Rueben Bain Jr. of University of Miami visited the Cincinnati Bengals on April 10, according to NFL Network, along with fellow Miami Hurricanes edge Akheem Mesidor.

Nicknamed “Hurricane,” Bain is expected to be selected in the first round of the upcoming draft, and could be gone when the Bengals are scheduled to select at 10th overall.

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Todd McShay has said he expects the Bengals to strongly consider Bain with the 10th pick. Yahoo! Sports’ Nate Tice has the Bengals taking Bain at No. 10.

“The Bengals go with the antithesis of their first-round selection from a year ago, trading the high-end tools and low-end production of Shemar Stewart with the top-end production and effort but lack of ideal length of Bain,” Tice wrote. “If Stewart taps into even a small portion of his talent and with Boye Mafe joining in free agency, the Bengals’ edge spots could be more impactful in a hurry and feel a lot different soon.”

What to know about Bain, who was a college teammate of Bengals offensive lineman Jalen Rivers for two seasons:

Bain played three seasons for the Hurricanes.

As a junior in 2025, Bain was named second-team Associated Press All-American, ACC defensive player of the year and first-team All-ACC.

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Bain started all 16 games in his final season at Miami, recording 54 tackles and 15.5 tackles for loss with 9.5 sacks, an interception, a pass breakup and a forced fumble).

Bain earned the Ted Hendricks Award, given annually to college football’s top defensive end. He was a finalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy, given to the nation’s top defender with Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community, Tenacity.

As a sophomore in 2024, Bain was named honorable mention all-ACC. He started nine games, and missed four games because of an injury.

A freshman All-American, Bain was named third-team all-ACC and ACC defensive rookie of the year in his first season with the ‘Canes. He led the team that season with three forced fumbles, and tied for the team lead with 7.5 sacks.

Lance Zierlein’s NFL comparison for Bain is the Philadelphia Eagles’ Brandon Graham.

“Note taker, grudge holder and block destructor with a compact frame and defensive tackle play strength,” Zierlein wrote in Bain’s NFL.com draft profile. “Bain is ill-tempered with his take-ons, hitting blockers with heavy hand strikes. … Bain’s explosive power and toughness should translate, giving him a high floor as an NFL starter.”

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Daniel Jeremiah compares Bain to former NFL linebacker Melvin Ingram.

A USA Today mock draft had Bain going ninth overall, to the Chiefs.

Interestingly, Bain visited Kansas City one day before his reported Cincinnati visit.

Bain has dismissed post-combine discussion of his arm length. At 30 7/8 inches, Bain’s arms are among the shortest in the class.

“I didn’t hear it until later in the year, but it kind of surprised me because I never heard it all my life,” Bain said at the combine. “I don’t give it the time of day, honestly.”

“Mike Tyson, he wasn’t the tallest guy, wasn’t the longest-limbed guy, but when you felt him, you felt him,” Bain told NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe. “You kept your distance.”

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Police investigate 2 Miami scenes after a shooting that left a man hospitalized

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Police investigate 2 Miami scenes after a shooting that left a man hospitalized



A man is in the hospital after being shot in Liberty City on Wednesday evening, prompting a police investigation that spans two scenes, according to the Miami Police Department (MPD).

The victim, a man in his late 40s, was located at a second scene after the initial gunfire and was rushed to Ryder Trauma Center via ground transport under a “trauma alert”.

The shooting investigation began after MPD received a ShotSpotter alert around 7:21 p.m.. The first scene, where crime scene investigators were seen taking photos outside an apartment building, is along Northwest 58th Street and 13th Avenue. When officers arrived, they found shell casings but no victim.

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A short time later, the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office contacted Miami police regarding a second location—Northwest 69th Street and 21st Avenue—tied to the same alert. The victim was found at this second location before being taken to the hospital.

It remains unclear how the victim ended up at the second location. No arrests have been made in connection with the shooting.



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American Airlines Eyes April 30 Return to Venezuela With Miami–Caracas Flights

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American Airlines Eyes April 30 Return to Venezuela With Miami–Caracas Flights


DALLAS — American Airlines (AA) announced today plans to resume daily nonstop service between Miami (MIA) and Caracas (CCS) as early as April 30. The restart depends on final government approval, security checks, and operational readiness. Envoy Air, American’s regional subsidiary, will operate the route with Embraer 175 aircraft.

The Fort Worth-based carrier continues to coordinate with authorities in both the United States and Venezuela to restore the route. In January, AA announced its intention to be the first airline to reconnect Venezuela with the United States, emphasizing that service would begin only after regulatory approval and security assessments.

American began serving Venezuela in 1987 and was the largest U.S. airline in the country before suspending operations in 2019. Chief Commercial Officer Nat Pieper described the return to Caracas as both a restoration of a long-standing market and a strategic extension of Miami’s role as AA’s primary Latin America gateway.

This announcement follows the U.S. Department of State’s March 19, 2026 update, which lowered Venezuela’s travel advisory to Level 3, “Reconsider Travel,” but continues to warn of risks such as crime, kidnapping, terrorism, and inadequate health infrastructure. Routine consular services in Venezuela remain suspended, with most services provided through the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá as the United States begins a phased resumption of embassy operations.

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