BREAKING: Latest Jimmy Butler Update Opens Door For Denver Nuggets Trade

There is no end to the standoff between Pat Riley and Jimmy Butler.

Denver Nuggets fans that were hopeful of a splash trade this season were likely disheartened when Pat Riley came out and made a statement saying that the Miami Heat would not trade Jimmy Butler. However, the latest update should make it difficult for Riley to stand by those words.

It has felt abundantly clear to most that Butler has been unhappy with his current team for some time. Last night, everyone found out just how true this was.

Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

After Thursday’s disappointing 128-115 loss to the Indiana Pacers, Butler sounded off at the post-game press conference about his displeasure in regard to his role with the Heat.

“I felt great,” Butler said unconvincingly. “I feel like I was focused. I feel like I did my job or what at least my job is now.”

The Heat star then fielded questions about his lack of offensive utilization.

“It can be my role here, but that’s not what I’m used to being,” Butler told reporters. “I haven’t been that since, I don’t know, my first, second, third year in the league where I just went out there and played defense. But I competed. I guarded. I tried not to let my man score. But that’s what I’m doing now.”

Butler continued: “It’s not a tough adjustment to me. I’m going out there to compete to win either way. Whether I score nine points or 29 points, I will compete. That’s one thing that I will say. So you won’t say that I’m out there not playing hard. It may look like that because my usage is down and I don’t shoot the ball a lot, but we won’t sit here and say that I don’t play hard.”

Then came the most eye-opening part of the press conference.

“What do I want to see happen? I want to see me get my joy back from playing basketball, and wherever that may be, we’ll find out here pretty soon. I want to get my joy back. I’m happy here off the court, but I want to be back to somewhere dominant. I want to hoop, and I want to help this team win. Right now I’m not doing that.” -Butler

When asked if there was a way to get his joy back in Miami, the six-time All-Star was abundantly clear.

“Probably not.” -Butler

Anyone listening to Butler should understand that it sounds like he has no interest in remaining with the Heat. The question becomes whether Riley is willing to let Butler be a distraction for the organization until the offseason.

If the Heat are looking to wipe their hands clean of the situation, the Nuggets should have an opportunity to swoop in and bolster their roster. However, it should be noted that Riley has proven to be a stubborn man in the past