Inside The Heat

Proposed Trade Sends Miami Heat’s Jimmy Butler To Rising Contender

Jake Elman|
Dec 8, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) smiles at the bench against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second half at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images
Dec 8, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) smiles at the bench against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second half at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images | Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

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Miami Heat

The Miami Heat finally appear ready to end the Jimmy Butler era.

ESPN reported Tuesday morning the Heat are willing to trade the All-Star forward ahead of the Feb. 6 deadline. Butler, 35, hits unrestricted free agency next summer and has ceded his spot as the Heat’s top scorer to point guard Tyler Herro.

Shams Charania wrote Tuesday that Butler’s agent, Bernie Lee, has “indicated in league circles” that Butler is open to playing for the Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, or Golden State Warriors. Butler grew up in the Houston area and still has Texas ties.

Here’s what a possible trade involving the Heat and Rockets may look like:

Heat acquire: Dillon Brooks, Jabari Smith Jr., Jeff Green, Steven Adams, 2027 first-round pick

Rockets acquire: Jimmy Butler, Nikola Jović

This sounds like a lot for the Rockets to give up for Butler. Some might argue it is too much for them to trade for a rental and a young forward in Nikola Jović. 

However, the NBA is a win-now league. Houston is 16-8 and seeking their first playoff appearance since 2020. It behooves the Rockets to take the risk of acquiring Butler and making him the centerpiece of a potential title contender.

“Heis believed to prefer a win-now title contender in any trade,” Charania wrote. 

Our hypothetical trade includes Jović because he’s fallen out of the Heat rotation. Perhaps he can best help Miami by trading his Heat uniform for a Rockets one.

Brooks replaces Butler as the Heat’s starting small forward here. He averages 12.8 points and 3.7 rebounds and is under contract through 2027. Smith, the No. 3 pick in 2022, averages 11.5 points and seven rebounds. He’d likely start at power forward, allowing the Heat to keep Bam Adebayo at center. 

A fresh start in Miami could benefit some of the Rockets’ older players. Jeff Green fills a mentor role in Houston, and Adams is a full-time reserve for the first time in a decade. He averages 2.6 points and 3.2 rebounds. 

We’re all in favor of the Heat making this trade. If Miami is serious about trading Butler, they must prioritize a balance of acquiring young playmakers and proven veterans. Smith doesn’t turn 22 until March and could be Miami’s power forward of the future. Brooks, 29 in January, is a renowned defender.

Miami trading Butler doesn’t necessarily mean the Heat are waving the white flag on the next few seasons. This hypothetical trade marks the Heat choosing retooling over rebuilding, especially if the club retains Adebayo and Herro. 

One thing is for sure: expect plenty of rumors involving Butler and the Rockets in the coming weeks. 

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Jake Elman works as a contributing writer to Miami Heat on SI. He can be reached at jakeelman97@gmail.com or follow him on X @JakeElman97.

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Jake Elman
JAKE ELMAN

Jake Elman is a veteran sports journalist and graduate of Florida Atlantic University’s journalism program. In recent years, he has covered the NFL for EndGame360 and served as the sports content lead for ExpressVPN. He also covered the Lane Kiffin years at FAU for the Palm Beach Post.

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