The tension between Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat has reached a boiling point, with a trade ahead of the NBA deadline increasingly looking inevitable.

Sources inform Shams Charania and Brian Windhorst of ESPN that the 6-foot-7 swingman out of Marquette hasn't budged on his behind-the-scenes request to be traded away from the Heat this year, after failing to come to terms on an extension agreement during the 2024 offseason.

The Miami Heat find themselves at a crossroads with forward Jimmy Butler. Late Thursday night, ESPN's Shams Charania and Brian Windhorst reported that Butler had signaled to the Heat that he wanted a trade. That followed a press conference where Butler said he probably would not be able to rediscover his joy for basketball with Miami.