A new team has entered the Jimmy Butler sweepstakes. Jake Fischer and Mark Stein of The Stein Line reported Friday that the New Orleans Pelicans have reached out to the Miami Heat about trading for the disgruntled star.

With the clock ticking on the Miami Heat to find a trade partner for Jimmy Butler before the Feb. 6 deadline, the New Orleans Pelicans have at least

The Miami Heat have been dealing with the trade drama of star Jimmy Butler for a long time now but so far, nothing has materialized. It seems as if the team will move on from Butler before the trade deadline expires but things are a little complicated.

Most recently, Butler was suspended indefinitely without pay. The Miami Heat are actively looking to make a trade for Butler before next Thursday’s deadline. NBA insider Marc Stein reported that the New Orleans Pelicans have shown interest in acquiring Butler via trade.

The Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors' Friday night game at Chase Center is being described as "the Jimmy Butler Bowl" by ESPN's Shams Charania.

NBA trade rumors are heating up with the deadline just one week away. No big names have been moved yet, but the rumor mill has been flooded with tons of new intel as everyone around the league tries to improve either their short- or long-term outlook.

Butler was informed at shootaround that he would come off the bench behind Haywood Highsmith in this game, which prompted Butler to walk out of shootaround. From there, the Heat suspended Butler “indefinitely,” a story broken by Shams Charania of The Athletic and since confirmed by the team.

Depending on how you process any recent Heat news, that latter point feels correct, given some of Butler’s relationships with players on Miami’s roster. That is especially true of younger contributors who have grown to see Butler as a mentor no matter his team-related drama or level of candor.

He became eligible for a contract extension worth up to $208 million over four years last summer, but the Pelicans have not been