Jimmy Butler had a clear message for the Miami Heat and the rest of the NBA Thursday night. He acknowledged the fact that he will not be happy in Miami and that he needs a change of scenery. If we look at his history, Jimmy has always found a way out of a place he doesn’t like. The good news for the Heat is that the new Jimmy Butler trade request opens up new trade options and partners.
Jimmy Butler Trade Request Opens New Possibilities for Miami
Asked about his trade situation after the game against Indiana, Jimmy said,
“I want to see me getting my joy back playing basketball. Wherever that may be, we’ll find out here 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.”
Asked afterward if he can get his joy back on the court with the Miami Heat, the All-Star forward replied, “probably not.”
Jimmy and the Miami Heat have had a strained relationship since the summer. Pat Riley came out publicly and said they are not giving Butler an extension, and he wants to see more effort and commitment from the forward. Since then, the on-again-off-again relationship has reached its crescendo, with Jimmy now publicly saying he wants out.
Previous reports were that he had preferred destinations and teams, including the Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, and Phoenix Suns. But now, in a new trade request, Jimmy Butler revealed he is open to going and playing anywhere. That gives the Heat more flexibility.
Pat Riley Is a Businessman, Not a Friend
Pat Riley is one of the coldest executives in the league. If there is one executive who will always look out for the best interest of the team and not the star player, that is Pat Riley. He almost never gives long contracts to players past their prime.
While the Heat rarely let go of their franchise player via trade, they are more than happy to let them walk when they are past their prime. Pat Riley let Dwyane Wade walk off in free agency in the summer of 2016. After the 2015-16 season, Wade never made the All-Star team again. From today’s perspective, Pat made the right move. He also traded away Shaquille O’Neal just days after Riley said the big guy was not on the market.
Now, Riley is faced with another star who is in his 30s. Choosing between giving a long max extension to a player who is 35 years old and letting him walk looks like an easy option for Pat. The recipe for an ugly divorce is here. Pat doesn’t want to give Jimmy an extension, and the star player has no contract in place after the current season. What comes next?
Should the Spurs go All-In For Jimmy?
The Spurs find themselves in a strange situation. Year two of Victor Wembanyama is more than good to carry the team to a play-in spot, but should they aim for something more? The Spurs are a team that can afford to trade for Jimmy and still have plenty of assets going forward.
They have a mixture of young talent and young veterans that can allow the team to compete. In recent days, there have been plenty of rumors around San Antonio about how they might be able to trade for De’Aaron Fox. The fun part is that if they really like to go all-in, the Spurs can get both Butler and Fox.
While there are some other All-Star level players on the market, nobody else has the star power of Jimmy. Any team looking for a difference-maker should have Jimmy on the top of their list. The question remains: is it time for these young teams like the Spurs, Rockets, and maybe even the Thunder to go all-in?
Which Teams Have the Most to Offer?
Jimmy reportedly had a preferred list of teams, but those teams either couldn’t make a compelling offer or simply didn’t want to make a trade (the Rockets). This new Jimmy Butler trade request opens up a lot more possibilities. The question remains: what do the Heat need in a trade? Do they want to get draft capital, young players, or expiring contracts? Without a mutual understanding between Jimmy and whichever team trades for him about a long-term contract, it is hard to see younger teams give up much for a rental period.
We talked about the Spurs, but they are not the only team with the most assets. Recently, Bobby Marks of ESPN made a ranking of teams with the most draft capital.
Looking at the top 10 teams with picks, there are five teams that make sense for Jimmy. They are all playoff teams with young players that are ready to compete. Those are the Oklahoma City Thunder, ranked No.1 by assets, the San Antonio Spurs (owning some quality first-round picks from other teams), the Houston Rockets, the Orlando Magic, and the Memphis Grizzlies. Of course, there are teams like Utah and Charlotte in there, but it is hard to envision that. The last two teams might be dark-horse candidates. If Orlando had their two young studs healthy, they might be willing to try all-in this year.
The Grizzlies are another interesting team, currently second in the West, and with playoff experience and willingness to compete. They can trade up to four first-round picks and swap all of their seven picks. Memphis won’t trade all of their picks, but a few first-rounders could, along with some quality players, would be a solid offer. The bigger challenge is making salaries work, but between Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard, and Brandon Clarke, they can make something happen. Throw in a young piece like Santi Aldama, and they have a compelling offer.
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