Jimmy Butler’s ‘Killer Mode’ this NBA season is set to redefine his legacy and silence critics. Discover the full story and insights from the NBA insider. Read more.

The 2024-25 season is set to be a crucial one for Miami Heat star forward Jimmy Butler. At 34 years old, Butler decided against signing an extension with the Heat or any other team this offseason, even if he had been traded. He was eligible for a two-year, $112.6 million extension, which would have effectively added one more year, worth $58.5 million, to his contract for the 2026-27 season.

Butler is coming off what might be the most serious injury of his career—a sprained MCL suffered during the team’s opening play-in game against Philadelphia. This injury follows a series of foot, knee, and ankle issues that kept him out of games over the past year. As Butler ages, his physical resilience is increasingly in question. However, ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst suggests that Butler will be in “killer mode” this upcoming season.

“Jimmy Butler, highly motivated by the prospect of becoming a free agent, is a different kind of player,” Windhorst said on the latest episode of The Hoop Collective. “The Heat have had terrible luck with injuries over the past couple of years.”

“At times, it seems like Jimmy finds reasons not to play. That might continue, but I believe he’s going to be in killer mode to prove himself to the Heat and the rest of the league this season.”

Last season, the Heat had the 10th-most games missed due to injury (255), according to Spotrac. In terms of “cash per day missed,” the Heat ranked sixth, following the Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, Chicago Bulls, Portland Trail Blazers, and Memphis Grizzlies.

Butler has demonstrated his capabilities, especially in the regular season after the New Year, when he is fully focused. Two years ago, he had the best season of his career, coinciding with his strongest playoff run until he sprained his ankle in the Eastern Conference semifinals against New York.

However, his health remains the biggest concern. Butler isn’t getting any younger, and his body isn’t recovering as quickly. The cumulative wear and tear over the years has taken its toll. In his five seasons with the Heat, he’s played in 75 percent of the games only twice. Last year, he missed 22 games, partly due to personal reasons, and his impact on the court was noticeably diminished.

Now, Butler is entering the second-to-last year of the three-year, $146 million extension he signed with the Heat before the 2021-22 season. This season, he is set to earn $48.8 million, with a $52.4 million player option for 2025-26, which accounts for 28.6 and 27.9 percent of the projected salary cap, respectively, according to Spotrac.

If Butler has a poor or injury-filled season, he’ll likely opt into his $52.2 million player option and face the same situation next year. Mentally, he likely wants to prove his critics wrong, and he’ll have the opportunity to do so if he can stay healthy. This is what the organization desires, and for Miami to achieve its goals, it needs its “biggest needle mover” to remain healthy.