A Miami Heat fan near the team bench broke the news of the Jimmy Butler trade during Wednesday night’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
The players had no clue the big deal was made because NBA players are prohibited from using or possessing cell phones on the bench.
Heat Fan Shant Solmaz Broke The Jimmy Butler Trade To Tyler Herro, Kevin Love, And Jaime Jaquez Jr.
According to TMZ Sports, a nearby fan named Shant Solmaz broke the news to Tyler Herro, Kevin Love, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and other Heat players. For the best part, they actually listened to Solmaz’s trade report.
Herro, who went on to finish with a team-high 30 points and seven rebounds, looked shocked by the deal, while Love asked the fan for more details on the trade.
This guy broke the Jimmy Butler trade news to the Heat right now 🤣 (via shantsolmaz/IG) pic.twitter.com/wDUb1hICfx
— Overtime (@overtime) February 6, 2025
Solmaz then told the Heat players that Miami “robbed” Golden State, winning the deal. ESPN’s Shams Charania was the first to break the news late Wednesday night.
In a multi-team trade, the Heat sent Butler to the Warriors for Andrew Wiggins, Dennis Schroder, Kyle Anderson, and a protected first-round pick; the Warriors’ Lindy Waters III and Heat’s Josh Richardson were traded to the Detroit Pistons; Dennis Schroder was sent to the Utah Jazz; and the Heat acquired Utah’s PJ Tucker.
Butler Declined His 2025-26 Player Option, Signed A Two-Year, $121 Million Contract Extension With Warriors
Sources also informed Charania and ESPN’s Brian Windhorst that Butler agreed to a new two-year, $121 million extension with the Warriors through 2026-27. Butler also declined his 2025-26 player option for this new deal.
This trade came shortly after Charania was informed that Phoenix Suns star forward Kevin Durant had no interest in a Warriors reunion. Durant won Finals MVP in both the 2017 and 2018 NBA Finals.
New Golden State Warriors star Jimmy Butler has agreed to a new two-year, $121 million extension with the franchise through 2026-27, sources tell me and @WindhorstESPN. Butler is declining his 2025-26 player option for this new $121M deal.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 6, 2025
Golden State had been “seriously pursuing a trade before Thursday’s deadline” before pulling the trigger on this Butler deal. The Warriors were searching for another star to play alongside franchise star Stephen Curry.
Butler is now part of a new “Big Three” with Curry and Draymond Green.
