Jimmy Butler has suggested he is ready to move on from the Miami Heat after losing his joy for basketball.

Butler scored just nine points in the Heat's 128-115 defeat to the Indiana Pacers on Thursday, having also struggled in Miami's victory over the New Orleans Pelicans earlier this week.

And he revealed after the Pacers game that his future may lie elsewhere.

He said: "I want to see me getting my joy back playing basketball. Wherever that may be, we'll find out pretty soon.

"I'm happy here off the court, but I want to be back to somewhat dominant. I want to hoop and I want to help this team win, and right now I'm not doing it."

When asked if he can get his joy back while playing for the Heat, he replied: "Probably not."

ESPN has reported that Butler has indicated to Miami that he wishes to be traded.

Butler added: "I'm going out there to compete either way, whether I score nine points or 29 points.

"You won't say I'm not out there playing hard. It may look like that because my usage is down and I don't shoot the ball a lot."

Heat president Pat Riley last week issued a statement, insisting: "We will make it clear - we are not trading Jimmy Butler."

The relationship between Riley and Butler has been sour for a while, after the latter claimed the Heat would not have lost last season's first-round playoff series to the Boston Celtics had he been fit to play.

Riley said in response that "If you're not on the court playing, you should keep your mouth shut".

Butler is in the last season of his contract with the Heat.