Jimmy Butler trade rumors are beginning to heat up. While nothing is imminent, it looks increasingly likely that the Miami Heat will move on from Butler before this season’s trade deadline. Over the past few months, reporters have linked numerous teams to Butler. This includes teams like the Golden State Warriors, Brooklyn Nets, and Phoenix Suns.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, there are two particular teams Butler has at the top of his wishlist in a potential trade. Those teams are the Warriors and the Suns. Additionally, Charania named the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets as two other teams Butler has interest in. Charania also noted that the Nets are unlikely to acquire Butler, whether it be via a trade or as a free agent next summer.
The latest reporting surrounding Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat on NBA Today: pic.twitter.com/w8TpCuQ7jd
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 17, 2024
“So the talks are, I’m told, the Heat remain open to hearing interested suitors in Jimmy Butler. There’s not an urgency that they’re operating under. When you look at his salary, $49 million this year, he’s got a $52 million player option for next year. The market that we’re going to see come this offseason, there’s one team with significant cap space, and that’s going to be the Brooklyn Nets. $60 million+, and as of right now, on the trade market, the Nets are not believed to be a suitor, and they might not make sense for him come offseason either, because clearly they’re more of a rebuilding, re-tooling situation, and he’s going to be a 36-year-old win-now star, and that’s why I’m told the Suns and the Warriors are believed to be atop his list of preferred win-now destinations if the Miami Heat were to trade him. The Rockets and Mavericks being the others.
NBA Insider Names Jimmy Butler’s Top-2 Trade Destinations
Golden State Warriors Named the Likeliest Destination for Jimmy Butler
Recently, NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer named the Warriors as the likeliest destination for Butler in a possible trade (subscription required).
League insiders continue to describe Golden State, as things currently stand, as the only team of the four most frequently mentioned as potential Jimmy Butler suitors as having an interest in the 35-year-old that could eventually lead to some substantive trade talks. Houston and Dallas have not registered tangible interest in a Butler trade pursuit while the aforementioned Suns could realistically only construct a workable offer for Butler if the Heat were willing to take on Bradley Beal. Miami, remember, had no shortage of reservations about Beal in the 2023 offseason and abruptly abandoned its interest in trading for him then, partly put off by the no-trade clause in Beal’s deal but also the sheer salary numbers involved.
The Warriors could be a good destination for Butler. Both the team and Butler are operating under a similar timeline pertaining to competing for a title. Furthermore, reports have indicated that the Warriors are interested in adding another star to the team. Butler, who is fantastic on both sides of the court would make a lot of sense for them.
The Last Word
For the next couple of months, Butler will remain a major name in the rumor mill. Until something happens, however, he remains a member of the Heat as they aim to make another playoff appearance. Currently, the Heat are 13-11 and own the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference. They are also still just two seasons removed from an NBA Finals appearance and rank as the 10th-best team on both sides of the ball.
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