Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler’s “interest in the Brooklyn Nets is very, very real,” per Nets Daily’s Bob Windrem.
Jimmy Butler’s interest in the Brooklyn Nets is ‘very’ real, partly due to a connection with Ben Simmons, per @NetsDaily
“Jimmy Butler’s interest in the Brooklyn Nets is very, very real. Part of it is New York, part of it is that Bernie Lee — who is Ben Simmons agent, is very… pic.twitter.com/ihNCVc0Ahe
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 12, 2024
“It’s very real. It’s very real,” Windrem continues. “I can’t get into details for a number of reasons… Part of it is New York. Part of it is that Bernie Lee — who is Ben Simmons’s agent —is very happy with how his client has been dealt with by the Nets.”
The Ben Simmons Reason Jimmy Butler’s ‘Very’ Interested In Nets
Notably, Butler is repped by Lee, an agent for Thread Sports. Lee has been Butler’s agent since Jun. 2017, right before the Chicago Bulls sent him to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a draft day trade. He’s been Simmons’s since last March, after the former No. 1 pick parted ways with Klutch Sports.
Ben Simmons is expected to hire Bernie Lee as his new agent, per @JonKrawczynski
Lee also reps Jimmy Butler pic.twitter.com/4VlSZYHetM
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 17, 2023
Ultimately, Lee has plenty of familiarity with Butler. He’s also had an entire year to monitor Simmons’s situation with the Nets. Though the evidence is circumstantial, there’s reason to believe that he —or someone familiar with his thinking —is the source of the information.
If so, then Butler’s purported interest in joining the Nets certainly could be real. However, with Butler attempting to secure a max contract extension with the Miami Heat, it could be a leverage play. Especially as the Heat and Butler’s timelines sync up better than the Nets and the Butler’s.
To that point, Windrem acknowledges that he has “no idea at this point how the Nets feel about it.” Nonetheless, his “sense is… (Butler’s interest is) real.”
Would The Nets Bite On Butler?
Butler may see himself transforming Brooklyn into a championship-caliber team. With the Nets projected to have $80.1 million in cap space next season, they may even be able to acquire another star. Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle, Jalen Green, and Jonathan Kuminga are just a few of the talents who could become trade or free agent targets.
This quick fix to their roster may not be as exciting of a prospect to the Nets these days. From Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Deron Williams to James Harden, Kevin Durant, and Kyrie Irving, they haven’t had the best luck with that approach. Nonetheless, if the path becomes more tangible, they just may decide to try again.
