It looks like the Jimmy Butler to South Beach rumours are dead. For now.

A Miami Heat team spokesperson reportedly confirmed to Ira Winderman of the Miami Sun-Sentinel that Heat president Pat Riley recently told the club’s players that he is “pulling the plug” on trade negotiations involving Jimmy Butler of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Winderman reports that Riley assembled players at practice earlier in the week and told them he was standing buy them. However, he did not rule out a possible Butler trade in the future.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported earlier in the month that the Heat and T-Wolves almost had a deal done that would bring Butler to Miami, but talks fractured Minnesota pushed for more in the later stages of the deal. Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau was reported to be heavily involved in trade negotiations.

Riley also rebuffed reports that he used profanity toward Thibodeau during trade discussions.

“As to what has been reported in the past 24 hours, I have too much respect for Tom Thibodeau and all that he’s accomplished in this league. Our conversations have been nothing but cordial and I have never used that kind of language in negotiations,” Riley said in a statement.

Trade rumours have swirled around the four-time All-Star ever since he requested a trade out of Minnesota before the start of training camp. The saga has dragged on for more than a month and things looked like they’d reached a boiling point last week when Butler reportedly accosted teammates and management at practice, but have calmed a bit once the season began.

"All my emotion came out at one time," Butler said in the interview with ESPN's Rachel Nichols following the practice in question. "Was it the right way to do it? No. But I can't control that when I'm out there competing. That's my love of the game. That's raw me. Me at my finest, me at my purest. That's what you're going to get inside the lines."

Butler and the Timberwolves dropped the opener at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs 112-108. They will be back in action Friday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers, and then again the following day in Dallas against the Mavericks.

Meanwhile, the Heat dropped their opener to the Washington Wizards 113-112. They will host the Charlotte Hornets at home on Saturday.