Miami Heat general manager Andy Elisburg said the team is in no rush to sign Jimmy Butler to an extension.
Elisburg recently appeared on SiriusXM NBA Radio with Ryan McDonough to explain the reasoning behind the lack of negotiations.
“As Pat Riley said in his press conference, it isn’t something we have to do now. We have an opportunity to do this all year long, and then there’s an opportunity that he becomes a free agent next year and we sit down and do a contract at that point,
” Elisburg said. “If a player wants to be in Miami, and we want him in Miami, the rest of it is logistics. That’s how Pat has always approached it. Whether it’s [cap] room or timing, that just becomes a piece of it.”
Elisburg is a believer in Butler wanting to stay in Miami.
“I think Jimmy’s indicated he wants to be in Miami, and at the end of the day we would like Jimmy to be in Miami,” Elisburg said. “Pat has indicated in his press conference that there are things he wants to see from Jimmy, and there are challenges he wants met. Jimmy’s not one who is familiar with being challenged.”
Elisburg concluded by saying it will work itself out if this relationship continues.
“If they do, there are lost of ways to make the rest of the numbers work if everyone wants to make a deal,” Elisburg said. “There are lots of ways you can make the deal with different pieces to it. “The most important thing is everyone wanting to make the deal.
