Until it’s confirmed, the Miami Heat and Jimmy Butler remain a united front with one another. However, if they dissolve their union this coming offseason, there will likely be plenty of suitors for him.
One possible suitor is the Houston Rockets. If Butler and the Heat are on the outs, Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes outlined the following trade between those teams.
Rockets Receive: Butler and the No. 15 pick in the 2024 draft
Heat Receive: Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, No. 3 pick in the 2024 draft
Hughes explained why that package could appeal to the Heat.
“Green averaged 27.7 points per game as Houston went 13-2 in March, but he’s also extension-eligible and won’t be cheap much longer. One imagines the Heat would be more comfortable giving long-term cash to an early-20s player on the rise, though.
“Add in Brooks, who would fit perfectly into #HeatCulture, a 12-spot jump to No. 3 in the draft, and Miami comes out of this looking pretty good—particularly if it’s itching to put a period on the Butler era.”
Green was the No. 2 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. Like Hughes alluded to, it looked like he may have started to put it together. However, if the Heat consider a deal like this, they must factor in the small sample size.
Jimmy Butler Tabbed as Rockets’ ‘Dream Target’
Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz called Butler the Rockets’ dream target. He explained why the Heat should look into what the Rockets have to offer for Butler.
“Trading him now and building around 26-year-old Bam Adebayo, 24-year-old Tyler Herro, and 23-year-old Jaime Jacquez Jr. with some young talent from the Rockets should be under consideration by Miami.”
He also included the package the Rockets could give the Heat in exchange for Butler.
“An offer of Jabari Smith Jr., Amen Thompson, Dillon Brooks, and the No. 3 overall pick for Butler should at least be worth having for both sides.”
The Heat should consider getting young talent for Butler while they have the chance. However, since they’ve had Butler on the team, the Heat have always been a title contender. It hasn’t mattered what seed they have finished with. Butler has helped them make the NBA Finals twice.
Maybe his best days are behind him, but he has shown that if he is your best player, the NBA Finals is a possibility. That’s not a guarantee with the likes of Green or Smith.
Rockets May Trade No. 3 Pick: Report
While doing a mock draft for 2024, HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reported that the Rockets could discuss a trade.
“The No. 3 pick – one of five potential first-round picks the Rockets can trade this offseason in a package to land a star player – will be discussed in trade talks leading up to draft night,” Scotto wrote.
The 2024 NBA Draft has not been labeled as one that will have much upfront talent to offer. However, the Heat have proven for the last few years that they know how to find young talent who can help. With picks like Herro and Jacquez, the Heat have formed a solid foundation. With the No. 3 pick, they would have a rare opportunity to get a franchise player, but only if they choose right.
The last time the Heat had that chance was in 2008 when they drafted Michael Beasley with the No. 2 pick.
Matt John covers the NBA for Heavy.com. A Massachusetts native, he has covered the NBA since 2018, with stops at The Sporting News, FanSided, Basketball News and Basketball Insiders. More about Matt John
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