Jimmy Butler To Miami Deal Dead? Mavericks Demand Could Derail Plan

The Philadelphia 76ers were keen to retain Jimmy Butler, whom they acquired during the 2018-19 season from Minnesota Timberwolves but the free agent has decided to look for pastures new. Los Angeles Lakers were said to be high on his priority list going into free agency, while the Houston Rockets were also pushing for a sign-and-trade deal.

However, Butler has surprised many by deciding to join the Miami Heat on a sign-and-trade deal that will see Josh Richardson go in the opposite direction. The shooting guard was expected to join a team that will be contenders next season, or remain with the 76ers, who took eventual NBA champions Toronto Raptors to seven games in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Meanwhile, reports have surfaced about the deal being in jeopardy despite many experts confirming the Butler-Richardson trade between the 76ers and Heat. Dallas Mavericks were named as the third team in the deal with Goran Dragic going to the Mavericks.

The Athletic’s Jared Weiss is reporting a “glitch” in the three-team trade as the Mavericks did not want to acquire Dragic but instead wanted Kelly Olynyk and Derrick Jones Jr. But the Heat are not ready to part with Jones, which has now brought the deal to a standstill.

However, the 76ers and Heat have already reached an agreement for the Butler-Richardson sign-and-trade and Weiss expects the glitch to get ironed out either with the Mavericks or with another team entering the deal.

Yahoo Sports’ Keith Smith is reporting that the deal with the Mavericks as it was structured before is now “dead”. He believes Dallas is out of the deal entirely leaving Philadelphia and Miami to find another team to enter the deal and bring it to fruition.

Butler is the sixth in-demand free agent to make a decision on his future less than 24 hours after free agency began. Kevin Durant will join the Brooklyn Nets, he is expected to be joined there by Kyrie Irving. Meanwhile, Klay Thompson is expected to re-sign with the Golden State Warriors while D’Angelo Russell will also join Steve Kerr’s side via a sign-and-trade deal from the Nets with Andre Iguodala heading to Memphis to join the Grizzlies.