- Jimmy Butler is being linked with several NBA teams before February’s trade deadline
- Butler has clashed with Miami Heat team president Pat Riley in recent months
- The Heat recently suspended Butler for seven games
The future of Jimmy Butler has been one of the most hotly discussed topics in the NBA over the last few months and now Shaq has had his say on where Butler should end up next.
Butler, who recently served a seven-game suspension for “conduct detrimental to the team” after publicly declaring his wish to be traded away from the Miami Heat, has returned to the team since his suspension ended, but is still being linked with a move away from Miami before the NBA trade deadline on February 6.
A number of teams have been credited with an interest in the former Chicago Bulls forward, including the Golden State Warriors, Phoenix Suns and the Houston Rockets.
Speaking on his The Big Podcast With Shaq, Shaq weighed in on Butler’s future and stated that he believed the six-time All Star should head to Golden State.
“I would like to see him go to Golden State. I like him at Golden State, because when he was at Miami, he used to drive me crazy—he’d get all the way to the lane and kick it out for a three. I’m like, ‘Bro, lay the goddamn ball up!’ That would work in Golden State because of the system they play.”
However, despite Shaq’s wish to see butler join Steph Curry and co in California, according to a recent report from Sam Amick, Anthony Slater and Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic, the Warriors are instead pursuing other targets, such as Brooklyn Nets’ Cameron Johnson and Chicago Bulls’ Nikola Vucevic.
During his time in the Sunshine State, Butler has helped the Heat to two NBA Finals and the Eastern Conference Finals once. The 35-year-old missed the playoffs last year though after suffering an MCL injury during a play-in game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
