Ahead of the 2024-25 NBA regular season, Pat Riley of the Miami Heat made it clear that the storied franchise was not interested in trading superstar Jimmy Butler, even though all signs seemed to point in that direction.
With the trade deadline less than two months away, February 6, and the team barely being able to stay above .500 in a weak Eastern Conference, the Heat seem to be coming around on the idea of potentially moving Butler in a deal this season.
Although Butler is likely past his prime at this point, the veteran is still a player who can be a key piece to the championship puzzle for an NBA contender right now, even if he’s not the star attraction he is in Miami.
According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype via NBA Central, it might be a two-team race to trade for Butler at this point, with the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks interested in acquiring the Heat star.
“Within league circles, there’s been quiet discourse about whether the Houston Rockets or Dallas Mavericks will eventually land Butler, a Texas native, should he and Miami decide to part ways. For now, however, the Rockets are among the top teams with a young core, and the Mavericks remain a contender in the tightly competitive Western Conference. It’s also worth noting executives who’ve checked in on Butler got the impression that Miami wants to figure out their star’s future after the season,” Scotto wrote.
The Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets have been mentioned as potential destinations for Jimmy Butler, per @MikeAScotto
“Within league circles, there’s been quiet discourse about whether the Houston Rockets or Dallas Mavericks will eventually land Butler, a Texas native,… pic.twitter.com/k6vu84L7ii
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) December 3, 2024
The Mavericks are coming off a trip to the NBA Finals for the first time in the Luka Doncic era, while the Rockets are a team on the rise in the Western Conference but would become a serious threat with the addition of Butler.
It’ll be interesting to see where this goes and whether Butler is moved ahead of the trade deadline in February, as it could result in a power shift in the West.
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