Report: Jimmy Butler to sign maximum extension with Heat; PJ Tucker to leave Milwaukee for Miami
As Yahoo Sports' Vincent Goodwill reported the Miami Heat's sign-and-trade agreement with Kyle Lowry of the Toronto Raptors to open NBA free agency, the 2020 Eastern Conference champions are also expected to come to terms on a maximum contract extension with Jimmy Butler, per The Athletic's Shams Charania.
The contract is expected to be worth $184 million over four years.
Butler joined the Heat in 2019 on another maximum contract in a sign-and-trade agreement with the Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers received Josh Richardson in return. Butler is owed $36 million this coming season, and he can sign his extension once the NBA reopens business for the 2021-22 season on Aug. 6.
The 31-year-old Butler averaged 21.5 points (on 50/25/86 shooting splits), career highs of 7.1 assists and 6.9 rebounds, and a league-best 2.1 steals in 33.6 minutes per game this past season. The Heat lost to the NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the playoffs after Butler led them to the 2020 Finals.
Butler has been named to the Third Team All-NBA roster in four of the past five seasons. He also made Second Team All-Defense this season for the fifth time, adding to his reputation as an elite two-way player.
In addition to acquiring Lowry and extending Butler, the Heat reportedly reached a five-year, $90 million deal to retain sharpshooter Duncan Robinson. All-Star center Bam Adebayo's max extension also begins this season, and Tyler Herro is not a restricted free agent until 2023. The core of what president Pat Riley hopes will be his next championship contender is under contract in Miami for at least a three-year window.
NBA champion PJ Tucker to join Heat
The Heat are seemingly all in on chasing a title. Veteran forward PJ Tucker reportedly agreed to a two-year, $15 million deal with Miami after winning an NBA championship with the Milwaukee Bucks this past season.
Tucker played primarily a backup role in Milwaukee after being traded by the Houston Rockets in March.
He averaged 3.7 points and 3.9 rebounds per game and shot 37.3% from the field in 52 games last season for the Bucks and Rockets.
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Ben Rohrbach is a staff writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at rohrbach_ben@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @brohrbach
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