It looks like the Miami Heat are ready to listen to offers for Jimmy Butler, according to Shams Charania. The 35-year-old is on a big deal, making $48 million this season, with a player option for $52 million next year that he won’t accept, and will be a top free agent in the summer.
While the Heat are looking good this season (sitting at 12-10), Butler is still putting up 19.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists a game while looking for a bigger multi-year contract. With the Heat willing to entertain trade talks, teams like the Rockets, Mavericks, and Warriors could be looking to make a move for him as the deadline approaches, as his agent reportedly mentioned those three teams as potential landing places for Butler.
Are The Rockets Favorites On This Race?
Potential Trade Offer
Rockets receive: Jimmy Butler
Heat Receive: Jabari Smith Jr., Dillon Brooks, Steven Adams, Cam Whitmore, 2027 First-Round Pick (via PHX)
With Jimmy Butler being available for a good price, the Houston Rockets might be the team to grab him, with currently the better odds out of all the potential suitors. They're sitting at 16-8, third in the West, and definitely surprising a lot of people this season. Their young guys—Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, and Jabari Smith Jr.—are looking legit, and the team’s vibe is on the up. The Rockets haven’t been crazy about going after big stars either. They have dreamt about Kevin Durant, an impossible target, and got out of the rumors for Giannis Antetokounmpo, as they don’t wanna mess up their young core for one star. But with Butler on an expiring deal, they could grab him without giving up too much.
Now, the Rockets have some solid pieces to make a trade happen. They’ve got young talent and future picks to offer, so if they were to go after Butler, it might look like this: Jabari Smith Jr., Dillon Brooks, Steven Adams, Cam Whitmore, and a 2027 first-round pick from the Phoenix Suns, who may be struggling without a couple of stars in the next years. That’s a nice mix of young guys and picks that could help the Heat build for the future.
Jabari Smith Jr. is showing he’s got the goods, averaging 11.5 points and 7.0 rebounds a game this season. He’s still figuring things out offensively, but he’s already a solid defender, and he’d fit right into what the Heat are looking to do in a small forward role. Then there’s Dillon Brooks, who’s putting up 12.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.6 assists. We all know Brooks is a defensive nightmare, and his ability to score in the flow of the game makes him valuable anywhere, even in Miami.
Steven Adams isn’t gonna light up the trade market, but he brings a ton of experience and muscle to the paint. He’s averaging just 2.6 points and 3.2 rebounds, but his leadership and physicality are exactly what the Heat need. Plus, Adams is an expiring deal that could free up some cap space. And don’t forget about Cam Whitmore. He’s young, raw, but full of potential. Averaging 5.9 points and 1.4 rebounds so far, he’s got the athleticism to grow into something special.
If the Rockets do pull the trigger on this, it could seriously take them to the next level. Adding a guy like Butler, who’s been there and done that, would help this team make a legit playoff run this season. Sure, the Rockets are all about developing their young guys, but if they wanna fast-track their success, Butler could be the missing piece to form a superteam: Vanvleet, Green, Butler, Eason, and Sengun on the lineup.
It’s all about balancing the future with the present. The Rockets’ young core is looking bright, but adding a proven winner like Butler could push them into championship talk this year. Let’s see if the Rockets are ready to make that move before the deadline.
The Warriors May Be The Perfect Fit For Jimmy Butler
Potential Trade Offer
Warriors Receive: Jimmy Butler
Heat Receive: Andrew Wiggins, De’Anthony Melton, Jonathan Kuminga, Lindy Waters III
Reportedly, the Warriors are looking to add some extra firepower next to Curry, and who better than Jimmy Butler, right? With the Warriors sitting at 14-9 and 5th in the West, they’re playing solid, but if they wanna make a real championship run, adding another star could be just what they need. Jimmy Butler’s that guy—he can score, he can lock down on defense, and he’s been there in the playoffs. Perfect fit.
Now, if the Warriors wanna pull this off, they’ve got a decent package to offer without blowing up their core. We’re talking Andrew Wiggins, an injured De’Anthony Melton, Jonathan Kuminga, and Lindy Waters III—no future picks in this deal, just talent for talent.
Wiggins has been playing well this season, averaging 17.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists. He’s been a big part of the Warriors’ success over the last few years and could fit right in with the Heat. A solid two-way player, he can defend and still get you buckets when you need him to. Not a star, but not a bad replacement to be lingering in the rebuilding process.
De’Anthony Melton’s been discarded for the rest of the year with an ACL injury, but he’s still a solid defender and playmaker. He was putting up 10.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game. He might not light up the scoreboard every night, but he brings that energy on defense and can create plays when needed, which is a plus for a Heat backcourt that lacks a true floor general.
But the real intriguing piece here is Jonathan Kuminga. The guy’s got loads of potential—he’s averaging 15.0 points and 4.3 rebounds this season, and even though he was not locked down with an extension in the offseason (he’ll be a restricted free agent soon), his upside is crazy. He’s young, athletic, and can defend, and adding him to the Heat could really help build for the future without having to give up any future draft picks.
Then there’s Lindy Waters III. He’s not a huge contributor in terms of stats (5.6 points per game), but he’s a solid depth piece. Young, can shoot a bit, and is a nice piece for the Heat’s bench. No frills, but it adds something to the package.
If the Warriors pull the trigger on this, they’d get Butler without losing their most crucial pieces. With Butler, they’d have the perfect guy to help push for a title this season. They’ve got the scoring with Steph and Hield, they’ve got the defense in Draymond, and now they could have the experience needed to take them deep in the playoffs. This could be the move that makes Golden State the scariest team in the West again.
Still A Longshot For The Mavericks
Potential Trade Offer
Mavericks Receive: Jimmy Butler
Heat Receive: Klay Thompson, Quentin Grimes, PJ Washington, Maxi Kleber, 2025 First-Round Pick, 2025 Second-Round Pick
The Dallas Mavericks are sitting pretty at 16-8 and 4th in the West, but let’s be real: landing Jimmy Butler is a longshot. Jimmy’s from Texas, so Houston and Dallas both make sense for him, but the Mavs just don’t have the assets the Heat would want in return. Sure, they’ve got Luka and Kyrie to entice Butler, but when it comes to young talent or draft picks that would really move the needle for the Heat? Not so much. This trade could end up looking a lot like the Kyrie Irving deal, where the Nets knew they were losing him and sent him to Dallas for basically a minimal return. But with Butler, there’s a lot more competition, and the Mavs won’t be the only team making a run at him.
Plus, moving Klay Thompson would be a tough sell. The Mavericks just signed him this offseason, and after all the promises they made him, trading him right away would raise some serious eyebrows. But imagine a lineup of Luka, Kyrie, and Butler? That’d be fire, especially with Lively as the center in his second year. It sounds amazing, but trading Klay so quickly would definitely be messy.
Bottom line, this is probably the hardest scenario for the Mavs to pull off. But you never know—they might still take a swing. Luka’s been on fire this season, dropping 28.7 points per game, plus 8.3 rebounds and 8.1 assists. Kyrie’s been solid too, with 24.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 5.2 assists while shooting 50.4%. Klay, although not quite the same guy, is still putting up 13.0 points per game and hitting 38.9% of his threes.
P.J. Washington’s doing his thing, averaging 12.7 points and 8.3 rebounds, while Maxi Kleber’s been losing ground in the rotation with several injuries in the past seasons. Lastly, Quentin Grimes is a solid player on both ends, even if his numbers aren’t massive at 8.7 points per game.
In the end, this trade might be the toughest to make happen for the Mavs. But it’s the NBA, and things can change fast, so we’ll see if they can pull something off.
Who Would Have The Best Offer For Butler?
When you break it down, the Rockets might actually have the best offer for Jimmy Butler. Why? Well, they’ve got a ton of picks and young assets that could make Miami’s rebuild a lot easier. The Warriors are in a bit of a bind here because while they’ve got Kuminga, a young player with a ton of potential, he’s still somewhat of a gamble. He’s shown flashes, but there’s a lot of uncertainty in terms of how much he can actually contribute in the short term. On the other hand, the Rockets have a young core with guys like Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Şengün, and Jalen Green, all of whom are showing solid potential and would likely be more appealing to a team like the Heat looking for immediate building blocks.
Additionally, the Rockets have multiple first-round picks in the coming years, and their stockpile of assets gives them more flexibility to strike a deal. The Warriors, on the other hand, don’t have quite the same level of draft assets or depth in terms of young talent to offer, which makes their offer less enticing to a team like the Heat looking to set up for the future.
While Golden State does have Kuminga, who has a ton of upside and could be a game-changer in the right situation, it’s still a bit of a gamble. The Rockets, with their combination of picks and young, ready-to-contribute talent, seem like they have the edge when it comes to the quality and quantity of assets they could offer for Butler. So, if you’re Miami, the Rockets are looking like they’ve got the strongest package, even if the Warriors can offer a potential star in Kuminga.
