Jimmy Butler's time with the Miami Heat might well be coming to an end soon. The franchise has seemingly gotten tired of its disgruntled superstar's antics, with the Heat suspending Butler for seven games and announcing they'll be listening to trade offers.
While both parties are open to a parting of ways, it has been reported that the Heat might end up keeping Butler beyond the deadline. The reasoning was that it was hard to envision a two-team deal that would satisfy the Heat and that might indeed prove to be difficult.
So, how might one tackle the problem? Well, how about a three-team deal? Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey suggested one involving the Golden State Warriors and the Brooklyn Nets that the Heat could potentially accept.
Proposed Trade
Miami Heat Receive: Cameron Johnson ($22.5M), Buddy Hield (8.8M), Jonathan Kuminga ($7.6M), Ziaire Williams ($6.1M), a 2025 first-round pick (via Golden State), a 2027 first-round pick (via Golden State)
Golden State Warriors Receive: Jimmy Butler ($48.8M) and Jalen Wilson ($1.9M)
Brooklyn Nets Receive: Andrew Wiggins ($26.3M), Gary Payton II ($9.1M), Pelle Larsson ($1.1M), a top-10 protected 2030 first-round pick (via Miami)
The Heat aren't taking in any bad contracts in this trade and are also getting quality younger pieces to put next to Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro. The Warriors, meanwhile, have been searching for a co-star for Stephen Curry since this past season and this move gets them one in Butler. As for the Nets, they want to enter a total rebuild and this trade helps them in that regard.
Heat Reconfigure Team Around Bam Adebayo And Tyler Herro
With this trade, the 17-17 Heat would completely revamp their roster. They pair Adebayo and Herro with players who fit their timeline unlike Butler, who is in his mid-30. Here is what the Heat would look like if they made this move.
Starting Lineup: Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, Cameron Johnson, Jonathan Kuminga, Bam Adebayo
Key Bench Players: Terry Rozier, Haywood Highsmith, Buddy Hield, Nikola Jovic, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel'el Ware
That is a fairly deep team with a starting lineup that has some firepower, as Herro (23.9), Johnson (19.5), Kuminga (16.8), and Adebayo (16,1) are all averaging over 15 points per game this season. This would be quite the balanced attack, with the likes of Rozier and Buddy Hield providing a spark off the bench too.
This would be a core that would only get better with time as well, as many of those players are just entering their prime. They might not be good enough to win a title but the Heat would remain very competitive for the coming years with this move. Those draft picks might also help them trade for a star in the future, should the opportunity arise.
The Warriors Get Stephen Curry A Co-Star
While the Heat would be keeping one eye on the future with this trade, the Warriors would be doing the opposite. This is the definition of a win-now move and they do need to make one.
The Warriors had an excellent 12-3 start to the season but have crumbled since and have dropped to 18-17. It's become clearer than ever that they need to land a co-star for Curry and this move nets them Butler, who is averaging 17.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game in 2024-25. Those aren't gaudy numbers, but that's down to him taking a backseat and perhaps checking out a bit too.
Not only would Butler provide a jolt to the Warriors' offense, but he would greatly help their defense too. He and Draymond Green would make life miserable for opponents and that, in turn, should lead to some more wins.
The Warriors might be giving up more than they'd want in this mock trade, but it could well help them win another title in the Curry era.
The Nets Accelerate Their Rebuild
For the Nets, this trade helps them in their quest to enter a total rebuild. They have already traded away Dennis Schroder and Dorian Finney-Smith and would part ways with another quality piece in Johnson here.
The Nets are primarily getting that first-round pick from the Heat and Wiggins from the Warriors for Johnson here. It's a solid haul, although, they might want that protection removed. As for Wiggins, they could potentially flip him to get more assets in the future, as his four-year, $109 million deal no longer looks as terrible as it once did thanks to his return to form.
This trade would certainly help the 13-23 Nets lose games at a better rate and that's basically their goal at this point. They still dream of getting Cooper Flagg in the 2025 NBA Draft later this year and this move would be a step in the right direction.
So, this might just be one of those rare three-team trades that actually benefit all parties. The Heat, Warriors, and Nets get what's best for them in their current situations and it will be interesting to see if a move along these lines materializes.
