It’s no secret that the 76ers are closely monitoring Jimmy Butler’s contract situation with the Miami Heat.

The Sixers view him as a fallback option if they are unable to sign Paul George in free agency.

And, according to sources, the Sixers are prepared to give Butler a maximum-salary extension if things align and he forces a trade out of Miami.

Butler, who turns 35 on Sept. 14, has $48.8 million guaranteed for next season and a player option for $52.2 million for the 2025-26 season.

The former Sixer wants a two-year maximum extension for $113 million.

There had been reports that Miami may look to trade the small forward rather than give him an extension.

However, Heat president Pat Riley told reporters on May 6 that Miami is not trading the six-time All-Star.

Jimmy Butler is coming off another excellent season.

However, he got injured and did not play in the NBA playoffs.

Speculation about Butler’s future has begun, as the six-time All-Star can become a free agent as soon as next summer (he has a player-option in his contract).

Less than a month until the official start of the NBA offseason, the Miami Heat is a team that will need a direct plan heading into the summer.

If they’re unable to land a supporting star player early in the offseason, it could open the door to some bigger questions about their future – with most of them beginning and ending around Jimmy Butler.

In an ideal world, the Heat would be able to land a star player to help Jimmy carry the load or extend his championship window with the team.

However, there’s a very good chance that the Heat could miss out on a big acquisition this offseason again and will have to weigh whether it’s time to move on from Jimmy, who has just one year remaining on his contract.

If Miami isn’t going to give him a contract extension and they fail to land another All-Star level player to help this team take a big step forward in the Eastern Conference, the only true option left could be to trade Jimmy.

While that may be an unpopular move for the franchise to make, there’s a very good chance it could end up being the one way to drastically change the fortunes of this team’s future.