Six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler has told the Miami Heat that he wants the team to trade him, league sources told ESPN.

Butler has no plans to provide the Heat with a list of preferred destinations, sources told ESPN. He’s open to playing anywhere other than Miami and believes he can make any team a contender, no matter where he moves. Sources say he plans to participate in all team activities and do whatever the Heat ask of him during that process.

Heat officials did not immediately respond to messages Thursday evening.

Butler scored just nine points in the Heat’s 128-115 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night, then said after the game that he had lost his joy in playing in Miami.

“I want to regain my joy in playing basketball. Wherever that is, we’ll find out here soon,” Butler said. “I’m happy here off the court, but I want to be somewhat dominant again, I want to play basketball and help this team win, and right now I’m not doing that.”

When asked if he could enjoy the court again with the Heat, Butler replied: “Probably not.”

Sources said one issue that led to Butler’s decision was team officials’ suggestion Thursday that he didn’t play his best in the Heat’s win Wednesday over the New Orleans Pelicans. Butler played his first game in 13 days after being absent due to illness, taking just five shots and scoring nine points in 25 minutes.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra did not play against Butler in the fourth quarter of either game this week.

“I’m going out there to compete either way. Whether I get nine points or 29 points, I’m going to compete,” Butler said Thursday night. “They won’t say I don’t play hard. It may seem that way because my utilization has gone down and I don’t shoot the ball much, but (you can’t say) I don’t play hard.”

If Butler takes this position on a trade, it will set up a potential showdown with team management, who are adamant they have no plans to trade him. Following an ESPN report on Christmas Day that Butler favored a trade and listed the Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks among his preferred destinations, Heat president Pat Riley issued a statement that read, in part: “We’ll get it done.” Sure – we’re not dealing with Jimmy Butler.”

Before the edict was issued, the Heat held preliminary trade discussions with several teams regarding Butler, but none progressed, sources told ESPN. The Heat showed no urgency in trade talks, sources added.

Riley and Heat owner Micky Arison have met with Butler’s representation in recent days in an unsuccessful attempt to resolve the rift between the parties, sources said.

The relationship between Butler and the Heat has been strained since last spring, when Riley announced the team would not extend Butler’s contract until the 2024-25 season. Butler could have gotten an extension of up to $113 million within two years.

Butler missed the Heat’s first-round playoff loss to the Boston Celtics last season due to a knee injury suffered in the team’s play-in tournament victory. After the loss, Butler gave an interview on social media in which he suggested that the Heat would have won the series if he had been healthy.

“If you’re not playing on the field, you should keep your mouth shut,” Riley responded at his end-of-season media session.

According to sources, Riley and Butler’s relationship still needs to heal.

Butler is in the final year of his contract that pays him $49 million this season and he has a player option for next season for $52 million. In 2021, with one year left on his contract, Butler extended his contract with the Heat in a similar situation.

Teams have been told that Butler intends to decline his player option for 2025-26 and become a free agent in July, sources said.

Butler, 35, is averaging 18 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists while shooting a career-high 55.3% from the field this season. He is one of the NBA’s elite competitors and a consistent postseason performer. His teams have made the playoffs in 12 of his 13 seasons, including the five previous seasons in Miami, which he led to two NBA Finals and another Eastern Conference Final.