Appearing on SportsCenter late Friday night (YouTube link), ESPN’s Shams Charania gave the latest update Jimmy Butler‘s situation in Miami, on the grounds that the heat would prefer to trade the six-time All-Star “as soon as possible.”

The Heat recently suspended Butler for seven games, but the length was largely irrelevant since no one expects him to play another game for Miami, according to Charania.

“This is a clear end to the Butler-Heat relationshipsaid Charania. “And as baffling as the league’s seven-game suspension was, more than anything, it was a way for the Heat to keep Jimmy Butler away from the team for the next few weeks. The situation surrounding the Heat with Jimmy Butler there had become unmanageable.

“ … My understanding is that the goal right now is to move Butler as quickly as possible. And I’m told the Heat have been talking to teams about Butler trades since Friday and that they will continue to work with teams. … Just eight days ago, (President) Pat Riley came out and said, “We’re not trading Jimmy Butler.” Now the Heat are fully open for business and the signs are officially in for Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat.”

A trade package the Heat could appeal to would be a “relatively inexpensive good player” – whether on an expiring or multi-year contract – as well as other expiring contracts to balance salaries with Butler’s outgoing cap hit of $48.8 million according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald (Twitter link). Getting another star player in return for Butler would be “very attractive” to the Heat, but Jackson admits it will be a challenge.

Although Charania reported that Miami wants to move the five-time All-NBA player forward as quickly as possible, Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald hears that a possible trade depends on the type of offers the team receives but the Heat do not definitely in a hurry to negotiate Butler (Twitter link).

The 35-year-old Butler has averaged 17.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.2 steals per game (30.8 MPG) in 22 appearances this season. His shooting line is .552/.375/.788.