Bucks Blockbuster Trade Proposal for Jimmy Butler Revealed Amid Growing Rumors

Conflicting reports have emerged recently about whether the Milwaukee Bucks, a team Jimmy Butler's Miami Heat have twice upset in the playoffs when the former was the No. 1 seed, are on the six-time All-Star small forward's radar as he angles to be traded away from South Beach this season.

Never forget when Jimmy Butler dropped 56 points on the one seeded Milwaukee Bucks

pic.twitter.com/2ZyjBkyWAx
— Mink Flow (@currypistonn) January 3, 2025

Kevin O'Connor of Yahoo Sports reported that several playoff-caliber teams, including the Bucks and the Memphis Grizzlies, have been dissuaded from trading for him by Butler's camp.

More recently, a pair of NBA sources have informed Sam Amick of The Athletic that Butler's representatives have not told the Bucks that he's not interested in suiting up at Fiserv Forum long-term.

Butler, 35, failed to come to terms with Miami in reported contract extension negotiations over the summer. The 6-foot-7 Marquette product has been vocally advocating for a trade away from the Heat ever since.

Jimmy Butler with an extremely candid media session.

Said he wants his joy back on the court.

Asked if he can find that joy here, he replied "Probably not." pic.twitter.com/AwSLbstr4W
— Wes Goldberg (@wcgoldberg) January 3, 2025

Things got so tense that Butler was recently suspended by the team for seven games, an extraordinary punitive step against Miami's best player.

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Butler would at least greatly improve Milwaukee's ceiling.

Given the ages of the Bucks' core players (every starter not named Andre Jackson Jr. is at least 30, while pricey sixth man wing Khris Middleton is 33), it would behoove the team to try to win sooner rather than later. Eight-time All-NBA power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is 30, while seven-time All-NBA point guard Damian Lillard is 34.

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So how can the Bucks bring in the future Hall of Famer?

Using the Spotrac NBA Trade Machine, Stephen Noh of The Sporting News proposes a blockbuster three-team deal that would see Milwaukee ditch three core contributors to its 2021 championship run, although one of those players is essentially out of head Doc Rivers' rotation this year.

To add Butler, the Bucks would flip sixth man power forward/center Bobby Portis and shooting guard Pat Connaughton's $9.4 million contract (Connaughton is out of Rivers' rotation, and has been replaced by AJ Green as a bench energy scorer), a 2026 Los Angeles Lakers second round pick (from the Heat) and a 2031 Bucks second rounder to the Detroit Pistons.

Elsewhere in the exchange, the Pistons would send shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr. (son of Hall of Fame former Heat point guard Tim Hardaway Sr.), while the Bucks would send Middleton and a 2031 first round selection to the Heat.

Butler would represent a massive upgrade over Middleton, who has lost a step following years of injury woes. Though Butler is not the floor spacer from distance that Middleton is, he's a better midrange scorer and one of the league's best players when it comes to drawing fouls.

He's also a far better distributor. Defensively, Butler can summon up his prime All-Defensive moves when push comes to shove in the postseason.

Through 22 games this year, Butler is averaging 17.6 points on .552/.375/.788 shooting splits (but that 37.5 percent 3-point rate arrives on a fairly low 1.5 triple tries a night), 5.5 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.2 steals a night.

Yes, adding Butler would essentially necessitate that the Bucks be at least amenable to giving him a lucrative new contract in free agency next year. But it's the kind of move Milwaukee may need to make to improve its ceiling. Losing Portis could hurt, but Milwaukee can likely find a third big in the buyout market elsewhere.

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