Jimmy Butler stats tonight: How did Heat superstar fare against Raptors amid trade buzz? (Dec. 12) 

It was a quiet evening for Jimmy Butler despite the Miami Heat's 114-104 win against the Toronto Raptors at the Kaseya Center on Thursday. The veteran forward, amid the trade rumors, propped up only 11 points as the Heat, spearheaded by Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo saw the side extend their winning streak to four games.

Miami led the Raptors 58-51 at halftime. Butler and the Heat were put under the pump early on with Gradey Dick and Jakob Poeltl leading the charge for Toronto early on in the quarter but made up in the second quarter with a flurry of buckets by THerro and Nikola Jovic.

Butler ended his half with a measly six points, all coming from free throws. He went 1-4 from the field and was yet to launch a shot from beyond the arc. He recorded three rebounds, two assists, and a block in 17 minutes on the floor. The numbers didn't see a massive rise as he endured shooting struggles.

Stats vs Raptors (Dec. 12)	PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	FG	3P	FT	TO
Jimmy Butler	11	5	4	0	1	3-8	0-0	5-8	3

The 35-year-old has been in focus with reports suggesting he was on the trade block. Jimmy Butler has already been linked with multiple Western Conference suitors including the Phoenix Suns and the Golden State Warriors.

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Jimmy Butler weighs in on agent Bernie Lee and insider Shams Charania's trade reportage beef

Speaking to the media in the aftermath of the win, Jimmy Butler fielded questions about the trade buzz. One of the queries was around ESPN insider Shams Charania fielding questions about his future in Miami and potential destinations.

"I f**king love it. I’m all for the back and forth. … I feel for him [Lee]. At least somebody’s sticking up for me."

Earlier, Charania was called about by Butler's agent, Bernie Lee for his reporting that said the Heat were open to trading their marquee star. While at it, he also listed a few teams as possible suitors for the forward. From a contract standpoint, Butler is owed $52 million next season if he picks up his player option. If he doesn’t, he will be one of the most sought-after free agents for the 2025-2026 season.

Much also depends on whether the Heat in reality are open to trading Jimmy Butler in the first place. The Eastern Conference side has turned a corner with their recent series of wins, and should they make moves that bolster their roster, the side is a legitimate threat to make a deeper run in the playoffs.