What did you Google in 2024? From the elections to Copa América, here's what search trends show
Tempo by Hilton Raleigh Downtown and Homewood Suites Redefine Modern Comfort in North Carolina( MENAFN - The Conversation) US President-elect Donald trump has named most of the members of his proposed cabinet. However, he's yet to reveal key appointees to America's powerful cyber warfare and intelligence institutions. These include positions like national cyber director , director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and National Security Council cyber lead. These figures will be vital in securing America's cyber security at a crucial time. We believe there are three flashpoints that could be particularly troublesome for the incoming administration: Chinese electronic surveillance and espionage activities against the US have reached an all-time high in terms of level of effort and, most importantly, effectiveness. These espionage activities have been successfully targeting: As has recently been reported , the Chinese government has exploited vulnerabilities in America's ageing telecommunications infrastructure to target secret government systems. Hackers from the group“Salt Typhoon” were able to access the personal communications of high-ranking officials (including Trump) and expose the identities of US intelligence targets and sources in the US and overseas. Salt Typhoon also appears to have extracted US telecommunications companies' call data records. These detail the call history and associated phone numbers of all users of the network. These sophisticated breaches follow years of brazen cyber operations to steal US intellectual property and state secrets concerning strategically significant technologies. These include artificial intelligence, next-generation aircraft, biotechnology and energy systems. Indeed, researchers have found the majority of Chinese espionage activities against the US since 2000 have focused on stealing commercial technologies and information. Alongside this, the US government believes Beijing is seeking to expand its ability to capture digital information on Americans. The Biden administration responded to this threat with a number of measures to harden America's technology ecosystem against Chinese-made devices and software that may contain backdoors or hidden surveillance features. The response included bans and restrictions on products made by Hikvision, Dahua and Hytera, as well as the social media platform Tiktok. This all sets the scene for showdowns between Trump and China, as well as between Trump and America's tech sector. For example, the Trump administration will almost certainly have to compel telecommunications giants AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and others to address longtime deficiencies in their infrastructure. This includes the persistent use of unshielded components dating back to the 1970–80s. Simultaneously, the personal targeting of Trump, his Cabinet, and senior government officials and their sources will require a forceful response to deter future operations. But how much will the Trump administration be prepared to do in response to Chinese aggression? President Joe Biden has hit back against China by targeting its semiconductor industry and curtailing its access to other strategic technologies. In any negotiations between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping over trade and tariffs, Beijing is likely to seek to have these measures removed. If it does, Trump's desire for a better economic“deal” with China may come into conflict with national security concerns. Chinese agencies have also been infiltrating American and allied critical infrastructure (including the cyber security centres in the“Five Eyes” partners) for the purposes of sabotage. The aim is to pre-position themselves in target networks, installing sophisticated malware that can be activated to disrupt and degrade essential systems. This includes in a time of war. The most noteworthy of these efforts has come from Volt Typhoon , a Chinese state-sponsored hacker group. These efforts to infiltrate and cripple vital infrastructure are consistent with China's long-standing doctrine of covert action intended to“win without fighting”. These sabotage efforts are widely expected to intensify as we approach 2027. This is the crucial window when China's People's Liberation Army is expected to reach military readiness to attempt an invasion of Taiwan. The greatest risk of this digital sabotage campaign is a possible escalation into a military conflict between the US and China. If Chinese malware is used to target the celebrations for America's 250th birthday in 2026 or the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, for example, how much restraint would Trump have? The final flashpoint will be a legislative one. The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) has long been the subject of passionate debate in the US. Most of this centres on Section 702 , the basis for much of America's cyber intelligence collection efforts on foreign targets. This section allows US intelligence agencies to intercept phone calls, emails and other digital communications on non-Americans outside the US. Congress has mandated these agencies to“minimise” the collateral collection of data on Americans. In practice, however, this has been difficult to achieve in the age of digital anonymity and transnational threats. Bipartisan supporters of FISA consider it essential to national security agencies that are fighting to keep America and its allies safe. The MAGA-aligned House Freedom Caucus, however, has cast the act in a different light. They believe it empowers an unaccountable deep state intent on surveilling ordinary citizens. Trump has at times aligned himself with this view. In April of this year, he posted that Congress should“kill FISA” due to allegations it enabled spying of his 2020 presidential campaign. Section 702 will lapse in April 2026 unless Congress votes to authorise it again. While both houses of Congress will have Republican majorities, the disparate views within the party do not guarantee passage. Raising the stakes further are the intensifying national security threats a second Trump administration will face. Intelligence officials will argue the demand for FISA-sourced intelligence has never been higher. However, outsiders like Tulsi Gabbard (presumptive director of national intelligence), Kash Patel (presumptive FBI director), Pam Bondi (presumptive attorney-general) and Kristi Noem (presumptive secretary of homeland security) may oppose re-authorising the legislation. Furthermore, America's allies rely heavily on intelligence shared by US agencies using FISA warrants. Just as Trump looks set to demand NATO and other allies pay more for their own defence, he may well insist that Five Eyes and other intelligence partners do more of their own surveillance operations, too. MENAFN19122024000199003603ID1109014432 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
JAY — At the Regional School Unit 73 board of directors meeting on Thursday, Nov. 14, Robyn Raymond, director of Spruce Mountain Adult Education provided more information about the increase in younger students using those programs. On Nov. 14 Regional School Unit 73 board of directors are given more information about Spruce Mountain Adult and Community Education seeing more students aged 16-20 using its programs. The adult education program is located at right in the Central Office, 9 Cedar Street in Livermore Falls. File photo On Oct. 10 Raymond told the board , “We are seeing a significant increase in young students. When I last reported to the state the number of students we were serving between the ages of 16 and 20, over a six month period we had 36 students enrolled. For this year, in just one month we are serving 46 students between the ages of 16 and 20.” She emphasized what she was sharing is a complex issue, that there are many factors at play. On Thursday Raymond said, “While I wish the state reporting system could be black and white in terms of pulling consistent data subsets from year to year, when state or federal regulations change, sometimes the implementation of those new standards skews numbers or makes historical data unable to be compared.” In Fiscal Year ’21 there were 35 students ages 16-20 using adult education, Raymond said. In 2022 there were 38, 51 in 2023, and it dipped to 40 in ’24, she noted. “We know now, not even halfway through the school year we are at 46.” Raymond said, of those, 12 completed the HiSET program in FY21, nine each in FY22 and FY 23, and 13 in FY 24. In the last two months, four students this year completed the HiSET requirements, she noted. “I want to be sure that I am not just giving you numbers and statistics – it’s important to me that this is a dialogue and you are getting your questions answered about the trends we are seeing in adult education,” Raymond shared in her report to the board. “Numbers, charts, and graphs do not always tell the whole story. Looking at these numbers, we know that each is a person living in our community, and their unique circumstances impact how they show up for learning. While their learning time may be impactful for them, it can also be true that their lack of skill gain or continuous enrollment looks poorly on data reports. Looking at the big picture and serving the learner is the ultimate goal.” Director Tina Riley of Jay asked if the younger students using adult education were eligible to be in high school, were opting not to. They are eligible to be in high school unless they were expelled, Raymond responded. The reasons are multifaceted, she said. Some students drop out, some move into the area after turning 18. Students not being able to succeed during COVID-19 online schooling or homeschooled students who lacked oversight now want diplomas, she noted. “There are so many different scenarios,” she said. Raymond said she has the numbers, every number is a person with their own unique set of circumstances. Riley asked if Raymond felt she had the resources and the capability to work with that population, if something different was needed to support those students. “I would definitely say that we’re seeing success, and I have an incredible staff,” Raymond replied. “I just could not, we could not do what we do without them, hands down. But what the one trend that I’m seeing that we just can’t seem to address, is mental health needs. And my staff, they’re not social workers, they’re not counselors.” Director Holly Morris of Livermore asked if there were programs in the area those students could be referred to. The district has counselors in the middle and high schools who are paid for by the state, Superintendent Scott Albert said. A meeting is being set up with Albert, Raymond and Melissa Chase to see if the grant program can be expanded to get help for those 16-20-year-olds, he noted. We invite you to add your comments. We encourage a thoughtful exchange of ideas and information on this website. By joining the conversation, you are agreeing to our commenting policy and terms of use . More information is found on our FAQs . You can modify your screen name here . Comments are managed by our staff during regular business hours Monday through Friday as well as limited hours on Saturday and Sunday. Comments held for moderation outside of those hours may take longer to approve. Please sign into your Sun Journal account to participate in conversations below. If you do not have an account, you can register or subscribe . Questions? Please see our FAQs . Your commenting screen name has been updated. Send questions/comments to the editors. « Previous Next »
( MENAFN - The Conversation) I'm a computer scientist and a bad Christmas shopper. Over the weekend, I wondered whether AI systems might be able to help me out. Could I just prompt ChatGPT to pick a personalised gift for my cousin Johnny and have it shipped in time to reach him? Alas, the cheerful chatbot couldn't help, telling me it“can't make purchases or handle shipping directly”. In the two years since ChatGPT launched, we have seen wave after wave of AI products and features promising to save us from mundane tasks. Yet so far, gift shopping is beyond them – apart from the odd built-in chatbot on a shopping site or app. However, things may be different by next Christmas. One thing many experts expect in 2025 is the rise of AI agents: bots that can take actions on your behalf in the real world. An AI agent can do more than just suggest where you can get a Santa suit. It can buy it for you and have it delivered to your door. And the vision for“agentic AI” is that teams of AI agents will work together. You would give your team of agents a prompt: The agents would sort it all, without you ever having to lift a finger. Crucially, AI agents should have the ability to coordinate across multiple websites. In fact, limited AI agents are already here. A report by AI developer Langchain claims 51% of respondents to its survey already use AI agents in production. In 2024, venture funds invested an estimated US$1.8 billion in AI agent projects. Deloitte's latest Global Predictions Report argues 25% of companies that use generative AI will launch agentic AI projects in 2025. Research firm Gartner predicts that by 2028, 15% of day-to-day work decisions will be made by AI agents. We are also seeing agents for consumers beginning to emerge. These are systems that could potentially automate many browser-based tasks (including shopping). In October, Anthropic – the company behind the popular Claude generative AI bot – released a“computer use” feature that allows the AI to take over a user's mouse and keyboard to browse and take actions on any website. Education expert Leon Furze created a demo using computer use to automatically browse to a learning management system, open the page for an assignment, create text for the assignment, and click the submit button. All done automatically from a single text prompt. More recently, Google Deepmind released its own version, Project Mariner , which similarly allows an AI to autonomously navigate and carry out actions in the Chrome browser. Both these systems are still early versions, with Project Mariner only available to a trusted set of testers. But they hint at what's to come. You can't use either of these tools today to automate your Christmas shopping – at least, not easily. So what would be needed to make a truly useful Christmas shopping AI agent? The technology side of a shopping agent is relatively straightforward. As a user, I might want to give a prompt such as Executing this would require multiple AI agents: one to find the photos, one to find the shopping sites, one to personalise the gifts, a credit card agent to buy them, and an address-finding agent. Whether through computer use, Project Mariner, or some other AI agent platform, there is no technological reason why this can't be done today. However, there are two significant barriers to making AI agents useful. First, and most obvious, is trust. Would you trust an AI agent with your credit card details? Despite two years of advances in AI since ChatGPT, hallucinations – where the AI doesn't know an answer and so simply makes something up – are still a problem. A recent study showed that even in AI programming – one of the most popular and valuable uses of AI – 52% of AI-generated answers to coding questions contained errors. It only takes one error from the AI to send Aunty Molly's gift to Uncle Joe. And let's just hope it's a harmless error such as poor gift matching, not leaking your bank account details. The second and less obvious barrier is that for AI agents to be useful, they need to understand context. Even with something relatively simple like buying gifts, context is everything. I have years of knowledge about what my mother likes. I won't always get it right, but I'll do a lot better than a generic AI response. This knowledge is usually tacit and there's simply no way ChatGPT can have access to the rich history of human interactions that lead to that perfect gift. Having said that, AI bots are already recording information about their users. To prove this, just ask ChatGPT,“What do you know about me?” Depending on your settings, you might be surprised by the answer. Perhaps at some point the AI systems we use regularly will know enough about us and our family that Christmas shopping can be fully automated. But this year, I will still have to attend to it myself. Bah humbug! MENAFN19122024000199003603ID1109014435 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.India’s Tech Mahindra aiming for bigger bite of bank tech spends, CEO saysFlorida Lawmaker's Party Switch Increases Republican Supermajority in the House
Novak Djokovic had a busy first day upon arriving in Brisbane for his first tournament of the year. The Serbian was seen arriving at the center court to train with Jakub Mensik , although he took the time to joke around with Grigor Dimitrov , play media day games, and was outdone by none other than Mirra Andreeva . In a new Daily Dose of Social Media , we take a look at the steps of the top stars from the ATP and WTA Tours who are already beginning the 2025 season in the Australian Swing. Aryna Sabalenka , Jasmine Paolini, Matteo Berrettini, and Ashleigh Barty were among the stars captured on the last day. Novak Djokovic’s eventful day at Brisbane International Novak Djokovic is ready to kick off the 2025 season, arriving in Brisbane, Australia, for his first tournament of the year. The 24-time Grand Slam champion chose to start the season at an ATP 250 event to fine-tune his game ahead of the Australian Open and will be the first seed in a draw featuring three former champions. A video captured Djokovic’s arrival at the Patrick Rafter Arena, where he was seen greeting world No. 10 Grigor Dimitrov at the stadium entrance. Djokovic and Dimitrov shared a few moments of conversation and a friendly hug before the tournament. The Serbian leads their head-to-head record 12-1, with their last meeting at the 2023 Paris Masters final, where Djokovic secured a straight-sets victory. Una publicación compartida de Brisbane International (@brisbaneinternational) Una publicación compartida de Brisbane International (@brisbaneinternational) Djokovic wasted no time and scheduled his first practice session with the 2024 Newcomer of the Year, 19-year-old Jakub Mensik (world No. 48). The Czech player was thrilled to hit the court with the former world No. 1. “Back in Brisbane! and feeling the heat☀️... the 2025 season kicks off soon! Great to see some familiar faces and practice with @djokernole. Idemoo volino! ,” Mensik posted. Nole is set to debut on Monday against local player Rinky Hijikata, who received a wild card to enter the draw. Additionally, on the same Monday, he will team up with Nick Kyrgios to play in the doubles draw, an exciting partnership as both look to find their best form ahead of the Australian Open. Una publicación compartida de Jakub Menšík (@mensik.jakub) Djokovic also made time to participate in promotional activities ahead of the tournament, including the ‘racquet grip challenge.’ In a video, the 37-year-old was seen quickly gripping his racquet in just 9.8 seconds, although it wasn’t enough to take first place. “In your face, Grigor,” he jokingly shouted. “I didn’t end up the last part, it’s okay. And there’s a little hole here, but it’s okay.” Later, Djokovic joked again with Dimitrov when they met in the stadium hallway. “Guys, officially it’s going under second place after (Mirra) Andreeva, and I’m gonna give it to the guy who is in the 3rd place to put this little sticker here, thank you so much.” “No way, so she beat us all?” replied in surprise the Bulgarian who had put Djokovic's sticker in the first place, but the Serb was quick to correct him. “No, it’s not there. No, she was better. She got 7 seconds,” Nole said, returning the Russian teenager’s name to the top of the leaderboard. Una publicación compartida de Brisbane International (@brisbaneinternational) From Sabalenka to Barty: Brisbane mascot welcomes tennis stars The ATP and WTA stars posed for photos with the official mascot ‘Bounce’ of the Brisbane International . Several players participating in the tournament took pictures with the iconic Brisbane International plush. One of them was World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka , returning to the tournament where she was a finalist in 2024 (losing to Elena Rybakina). Similarly, Paula Badosa , Ons Jabeur, and Matteo Berrettini also took photos with the mascot, as did former player and three-time Grand Slam champion Ashleigh Barty. Barty is present as a tournament ambassador and will participate in an exhibition this Sunday — alongside Jabeur, Pat Rafter, and Frances Tiafoe — as part of a campaign raising awareness for the Ash Barty Foundation. The former World No. 1 recently announced her second pregnancy. Una publicación compartida de SaqueAce (@saqueace) Kyrgios and Tiafoe joke around during training session Nick Kyrgios and Frances Tiafoe shared a fun moment joking around during a practice session ahead of the Brisbane International. In a video shared by the Australian star, both players can be seen having fun from the baseline of Pat Rafter Court. “...... what were we talking about though ️️” posted the 2022 Wimbledon runner-up, who received a response from Big-Foe: “My guy ✊✊” he commented. Kyrgios will debut this Monday against World No. 31 Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, 21, who will be making his tournament debut. The Australian will also join Djokovic in the doubles draw. On Tiafoe’s side (No. 21), he will debut the same Monday against local wildcard Adam Walton (No. 93). Una publicación compartida de Nick Kyrgios (@k1ngkyrg1os) Katie Boulter shares Sydney postals before her United Cup debut Katie Boulter shared a series of photos from her first few days in Sydney while waiting for her debut at the United Cup. The British No. 1 will take the court on December 30 in the opening match of the tie against Argentina. The South Americans come off a surprising win over Australia and have the chance to secure a spot in the quarterfinals. Boulter will face former French Open semifinalist Nadia Podoroska in the opening match, and then Billy Harris, replacing Jack Draper as the male singles player, will face World No. 39 Tomas Martin Etcheverry. In the photos posted by Boulter, she can be seen both playing on court and posing with several of her colleagues. First, she is with Iga Swiatek , Jasmine Paolini, and Olivia Gadecki with the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the background. She also posed on court with her coach Biljana Veselinovic and her teammate Jodie Burrage, among other snapshots. Una publicación compartida de Katie Boulter (@katiecboulter) Jasmine Paolini shares fun surfing moments in Sydney Jasmine Paolini shared a fun series of photos from her days in Sydney ahead of her first match at the United Cup. The Italian was spotted surfing, in addition to participating in media day activities alongside her Italian teammates, including World No. 31 Flavio Cobolli . The two-time Grand Slam runner-up also posted a video of her attempt at surfing in the Australian city. Paolini’s first match will be on December 29 against Tokyo 2020 gold medalist Belinda Bencic, who is returning after a year-long maternity break. The Swiss player had a brilliant win on the first day against France’s Chloe Pacquet. On Cobolli’s side, he will face Dominic Stricker, who will aim to secure Switzerland’s spot in the semifinals. Una publicación compartida de Jasmine Paolini (@jasmine_paolini) Una publicación compartida de Jasmine Paolini (@jasmine_paolini) This article first appeared on TennisUpToDate.com and was syndicated with permission.
Global power politics Key actors in global power politics are US, China, Russia, European Union, and emerging powers such as India and Brazil In the global arena, power politics refers to the continuing competition among states for influence, economic might, and strategic supremacy, which essentially means pursuing national interests. A recent example of a global power struggle could be the World Wars and the power struggle that followed to shape an international system. The bipolar world order that emerged after the Second World War dominated by the US and the Soviet Union is defined as an era of proxy wars and nuclear deterrence. The post-cold war period saw the rise of emerging powers asserting themselves in the international system by transitioning from regional power struggles to global competition. The complex interplay of economic dominance, military might, shifting power centres, and technological advancements defines the broader contours of current power politics in the international system. The current world order is shaped by the ascent of multiple actors to political and economic power, technological advancement, economic globalisation, and geopolitical conflicts as countries compete for supremacy in soft power, military, and the economy. Despite growing nationalism and regionalism, organisations such as the United Nations, World Bank, and IMF continue to offer forums for multilateral discussion and extend help and assistance to nations who direly need it. There is an increasing realisation of collective obligations to address global issues including inequality, cybersecurity, and climate change, yet conflicting interests and power struggles hamper cooperation. The key actors in the current global power politics are the US, China, Russia, the European Union, and emerging powers such as India and Brazil. The US continues to be a powerful nation with unmatched military might, a strong economy, and an extensive international alliance network that gives the US the capacity to exert influence across continents. China’s extraordinary rise reflects its geopolitical aspirations, while its Belt and Road initiative, enormous trade networks, and technological innovations are transforming the world economy. Russia retains its influence through its military capability, energy resources, and strategic positioning and is an effective counterweight to Western hegemony. The European Union's political integration and economic might is a unifying factor in global governance despite opposing ideas of member states with regard to various ongoing conflicts. India, Brazil, and other emerging nations have a profound impact on the changing world politics. While South Africa and Brazil are raising the voices of the Global South, India's strategic significance in the Asia-Pacific and its projection as a net security provider enhances its stature in the region. Collectively, these actors contribute to addressing global challenges like climate change, security, and economic inequality. In global power politics, major drivers of influence are military power, economic clout and use of soft power. Military power remains critical and serves both as a deterrent and a tool for enforcing strategic interests. In addition to military influence, economic power and soft power provide means of influencing the world order. States can exercise influence through economic power that can be fuelled by trade and investment. By establishing appeal via culture, soft power draws other countries to align and all combined, these drivers help countries negotiate the high seas of power politics. Factors defining the current structure of global power politics are the US-China competition, global instability, the geopolitics of energy, the weaponisation of trade and technology, and the crisis of global governance. The US and China compete for supremacy in the fields of technology, economics, and the military. While China has been enduring to establish itself as a worldwide powerhouse for economic development, the US places a higher priority on preserving its position as the world's leading nation. If the competition intensifies, it will have far-reaching implications for global trade, regional stability, and the future of international relations. Global instability has intensified in recent years, driven by conflicts such as the ongoing war in Ukraine, which has strained global politics and exacerbated tensions between Russia and the West. In the Middle East, the enduring conflict has deepened humanitarian crises and fuelled regional rivalries, disrupting economies and posing a challenge to international peace. Global dynamics are further shaped by the geopolitics of energy and the weaponisation of trade and technology. Traditional energy sources are challenged by the move to renewable energy sources, which means empowering those who own minerals essential to green technologies. Countries are fast learning to use technological and economic instruments for geopolitical ends. An emerging global governance crisis would make things worse. With growing nationalism and rival blocs, organisations like the UN and WTO also face difficulties. In the current global power politics, navigating global issues entails balanced strategic diplomacy, collaboration, and adaptability. To address shared challenges, such as climate change, economic instability, and security threats, nations must foster multilateral dialogue. It is imperative to leverage international institutions like the UN to enhance thought processes, collective action, and legitimacy. Fairness, mutual respect, and a commitment to equitable solutions are crucial to promoting a stable, rules-based just international system. Surely, there is a call to ensure a stable, inclusive, and prosperous world. The writer is the director of the China-Pakistan Study Centre at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad.MIAMI — The trade speculation surrounding Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler has grown louder this week, but Butler doesn’t mind. “I actually like it,” Butler said following the Heat’s practice at Kaseya Center on Wednesday. “It’s good to be talked about. I don’t think there’s such a thing as bad publicity to a point. But if somebody is talking about me getting traded, that’s a lot.” Butler spoke to reporters just one day after ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Tuesday that “the Heat are open to listening to offers for Butler and making a deal if the proposal is right.” Charania also reported that Butler’s agent, Bernie Lee, has indicated in league circles that Butler is open to trade destinations such as the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks and Golden State Warriors. Charania added that teams have been informed that Butler intends to decline the $52.4 million player option in his contract to become a free agent this upcoming offseason. The Heat, which sometimes publicly denies trade reports, declined to comment on the ESPN report. Butler’s agent, Bernie Lee, also declined to comment. With most free agents who signed with teams this past offseason becoming eligible to be dealt on Sunday, it’s not a coincidence that trade rumors around the league have started to pick up in recent days. With the uncertainty surrounding Butler’s current contract situation, the expectation is his name will continue to be a prominent part of trade rumors in the coming weeks leading up to the NBA’s Feb. 6 trade deadline. “It’s fine with me,” Butler said of the trade speculation. “It doesn’t bother me one bit and I do appreciate it. I appreciate going out there and hooping and I appreciate being efficient, being effective and helping my team win. I don’t ever take playing basketball for anybody for granted.” While Charania reported that the Heat is now open to “listening” to trade offers for Butler, it’s important to note that Butler has not asked to be traded and the Heat is not aggressively shopping him. If Butler opts out and becomes a free agent next offseason, he will be eligible to sign a four-year max contract projected to be worth about $243 million with the Heat or a max three-year contract worth $171 million elsewhere. But Butler and the Heat don’t have to reach that point if they can agree to the two-year max contract extension worth about $113 million that he’s already eligible for. The Heat also has until June 30 to sign Butler to this extension, which would keep him in Miami through the 2026-27 season when he’ll be 37 years old. When asked about his long-term future with the Heat, Butler said Wednesday: “Who knows?” After the Heat declined to quickly give Butler a max extension this past summer, Butler decided to play this season out and become a free agent this upcoming summer. That remains his plan with the intention of signing a max contract with the Heat or another team this offseason, according to a league source. “Not really,” Butler said when asked Wednesday if getting another max contract is his top priority. “My kids matter, my happiness matters, my well-being matters and my family matters. Right now, it’s all about competing, staying healthy, playing some great basketball. I think I’ve done that so far, so we’ll see what we got.” Does Butler still hope to spend the rest of his NBA career with the Heat? “I don’t know,” said Butler, who is in the middle of his sixth season with the Heat. “I’m pretty sure y’all are going to get a report that’s going to say otherwise anyways. So there’s no sense in me answering that question.” Butler has averaged 19 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 55.7 percent from the field this season. He has played in 17 of the Heat’s first 22 games, missing four because of a sprained right ankle and one because of right knee soreness. At 35 years old, Butler remains the driving force behind much of the Heat’s success. He leads the Heat in most advanced metrics this season, including estimated plus/minus, win shares and box plus/minus. The Heat is 7-2 when Butler records a usage rate (an estimate of the percentage of team plays used by a player while on the court) of more than 20 percent and holds a 3-5 record when his usage rate doesn’t cross 20 percent in games that he has played in this season. “I feel like we’re doing what we’re supposed to be doing,” said Butler, who has helped lead the Heat to three Eastern Conference finals appearances and two NBA Finals appearances since joining the team during the 2019 offseason. “We’ve won a couple in a row. I’m not worried about an extension. We’ll handle all of that whenever it gets here and take it day by day. The more articles that come out, the more y’all are going to ask me questions about it. So keep the articles coming.” The Heat (12-10) is riding a three-game winning streak entering Thursday’s matchup against the Toronto Raptors (7-15) at Kaseya Center (7:30 p.m. ET, FanDuel Sports Network Sun). “I mean, it’s always going to be a championship,” Butler said of the potential of this current Heat roster. “Tyler [Herro] is playing at an extremely high level, Bam [Adebayo] is doing what Bam does, we got the young fellas that are hooping and gaining more confidence. So we’re rolling. We’re going to continue to win and I’m proud of the guys. You see everybody out here working and we know what we’re capable of.” Injury report The only Heat players who were held out of Wednesday’s practice were Pelle Larsson (sprained right ankle) and Josh Richardson (right heel inflammation). For Thursday’s matchup against the Raptors, the Heat ruled out Josh Christopher and Richardson. Richardson received an injection in his injured heel and will be re-evaluated in one week. Larsson, who has missed the last two games with his ankle injury, is listed as doubtful for Thursday’s contest. Butler is probable to play despite lingering right knee soreness. The Raptors ruled out Scottie Barnes (right ankle sprain), Bruce Brown (return to competition reconditioning), Ulrich Chomche (G League) and Immanuel Quickley (partial UCL tear in left elbow) for Thursday’s game in Miami. ©2024 Miami Herald. Visit miamiherald.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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