Sources: George tells OKC he will not opt in

The Miami Heat are open to listening to trade offers for star wing Jimmy Butler. The Heat have been stuck in Play-In Tournament range and have been unable to find common ground with Butler on an extension.

Butler has let it be known that he’d prefer to be traded to the Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets or Golden State. The first two teams play in his home state of Texas, and all three are contenders. That’s crucial for Butler, who prefers to play for a win-now team.

The veteran wing makes $48.8 million this season. Butler holds a player option for $52.4 million for the 2025-26 season. The 35-year-old could opt out of his contract and sign an extension with a new team following a trade. Butler could also opt in and extend this summer, as well as opting out and going to free agency in July.

Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan hasn’t had Josh Giddey in his closing lineup over the last week. Giddey knows that it’s his defense that’s keeping him off the floor.

“It was horrible from start to finish,” Giddey said of his play. “I think defensively it was just – and I’m talking about me – it was a mess from the jump. They put me in action, I have to be way better, whether it’s coverage or sitting down and guarding somebody. I don’t even blame it on the fouls. It was part of it, but everything else was just as bad. I wouldn’t have played myself if I was Billy. I was bad on both sides of the ball.”

Giddey felt he had been improving defensively, but recognizes he’s taken a step back.

“It pisses me off to be on that side of the ball and be like that,” Giddey said. “I thought I was making steps in the right direction. To have a night like I did tonight kind of kills your confidence.”

However, Donovan said he’s still “got confidence” in Giddey. The Bulls coach said to expect to see the young wing back in closing lineups eventually.