“Do right by him”: Kendrick Perkins advises Jimmy Butler’s exit amid Heat woes, fans flames of trade talk
Following their strong 24-16 start, Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat have lost a season-high seven straight games to fall to one game above .500. While most analysts aren’t too concerned about Miami, former NBA champion-turned-ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins says it's time for the franchise to move on from Butler.
Perkins shared his hot take during an appearance on “The Lowe Post” podcast with ESPN’s Zach Lowe on Tuesday. The former 14-year NBA veteran highlighted the age gap between Butler and his Heat teammates as the primary reason that he should be traded.
According to Perkins, upon trading Butler, Miami should transition toward a rebuild.
“The Heat have lost seven in a row. I think it’s time for the Miami Heat and Jimmy Butler to part ways,” Perkins said.
“I think the Heat need to do right by Jimmy and send him to a legit title contender. … When I look at this roster, Kevin Love, [35], Jimmy Butler, 34 years of age … everyone else on the Heat’s roster is 30 and under. … It’s time for the Heat to start the rebuild of their culture with the young guys.”
Perkins also expressed concern about how much longer Butler can operate at an elite level. Thus, he would like to see the superstar forward finish his career playing for an NBA title contender.
“I just don’t know how much time Jimmy has left of [being] Playoff Jimmy,” Perkins said. “He’s 34, a lot of miles, a lot of minutes, a lot of wear and tear on his body, and I just don’t see the Miami Heat this season being a legit title contender.”
Notably, Perkins’ hot take comes just months after the Heat made their surprise 2023 NBA Finals run and came within three wins of a title. That marked their second Finals appearance in the last four seasons. Additionally, the franchise has made three Eastern Conference finals appearances during that span.
So, Lowe seemingly had a difficult time taking Perkins’ take seriously, as he chuckled during his monologue.
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Would the Miami Heat consider trading Jimmy Butler?
While Kendrick Perkins calling for Miami to trade Jimmy Butler has generated headlines, there doesn’t appear to be any basis for his proposal. Not only have the Heat not made Butler available via trade, but they have also been targeting win-now moves.
The team recently acquired veteran point guard Terry Rozier from the Charlotte Hornets to provide a boost to its 22nd-ranked offense (113.0 offensive rating). The Heat gave up a protected 2027 first-round pick in the deal, a clear signal that they are prioritizing the present.
Additionally, Rozier will turn 30 in March and is closer to Butler’s timeline than he is to the timeline of the Heat’s young players.
So, as long as Miami keeps trying to be competitive, it doesn’t appear that the six-time All-Star will part ways with the organization anytime soon.
Also Read: "Concern is extremely high”: Erik Spoelstra's alarm clashes with Jimmy Butler's calm amid Heat's losing streak