Shams: Butler Prefers A Trade Out Of Miami By Trade Deadline (Update: GSW)

[Phantom255x]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/43152878/sources-jimmy-butler-prefers-trade-miami-deadline

Not a "formal trade demand" but it seems like it's becoming a reality, Butler wants out of Miami. I assume Riley and the Heat don't want to extend him long term either.

I'm still not really sure how many realistic destinations there are for him given the salary he's making. Suns make the most sense, but do Miami or another team want Beal? Can Golden State get it done?

Personally I think Houston makes the most sense. They are rising, have a lot of young talent, and a great coach in Ime. Adding a veteran and experienced playoff performer like Butler could do wonders for them. But again, can they get it done realistically?

[jpotter33]

Butler would be really interesting and fit well in Houston. They also have the young pieces to make it work.

He?d also fit well in Phoenix, especially as a second or third fiddle to KD/Booker. But I just don?t see any way a Beal/Butler swap makes sense for both sides.

GS could make some sense, too.

Just send him out West.

[Who]

I don't think there is anywhere to trade him that makes sense for Miami. It looks like he will stay there.

[tenn_smoothie]

Never satisfied, never quite happy is Jimmy Butler.
I can't see giving up a younger star for a $50M player at 35 years old with chartreuse-colored hair.

[SparzWizard]

So I heard Jimmy Butler wants out...does Boston want an energy guy, a scorer, and can defend? Do they wanna add another J or switch a J? The last two Celtics games have been abysmal 😂

[Goldstar88]

Golden state has the salary and young talent to get Butler. The Warriors are wasting Curry?s final years.

[Phantom255x]

So I heard Jimmy Butler wants out...does Boston want an energy guy, a scorer, and can defend? Do they wanna add another J or switch a J? The last two Celtics games have been abysmal 😂

Let?s trade KP and a pick for Bam lol.

Or KP + picks for Butler and Jovic

[Phantom255x]

Yikes lol...

https://x.com/MiamiHEAT/status/1872351195723096275?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Statement from Pat Riley

"We usually don't comment on rumors, but all this speculation has become a distraction to the team and is not fair to the players and coaches. Therefore, we will make it clear - We are not trading Jimmy Butler."

[celticsclay]

Golden state has the salary and young talent to get Butler. The Warriors are wasting Curry?s final years.

I guess it depends on how the Heat view the Golden State players. I feel like Pods, Moody and Kuminga may have really dropped in value.

[Goldstar88]

Golden state has the salary and young talent to get Butler. The Warriors are wasting Curry?s final years.

I guess it depends on how the Heat view the Golden State players. I feel like Pods, Moody and Kuminga may have really dropped in value.

Yeah, I?m not sure. Those guys are all super young. Kuminga and Moody are 22. Podziemski is 21. I think they have quite a bit of value.

[Atzar]

All three of those GS kids are having bad years. 

I've at least seen the potential with Kuminga, and Podz was a solid rookie. 

I've never understood the hype around Moody.  GS fans talk about him like he's a star-in-waiting, and their front office just paid him good-rotation-piece money.  Meanwhile he's in his fourth year of being a third-string guy who doesn't do much, and the Warriors continue to add pieces who out-compete him for minutes. 

Not sure how that group gets you Butler.  Even less sure how the teams would make the money work. 

[ozgod]

Clearly Bernie Lee, Buckets's agent, is spreading the rumor about the teams that Buckets wants to go to, and it's irritating Riley to the point where he put the kibosh on the speculation. That said, I'm sure they would trade him in a heartbeat if they thought it would make their team better...but maybe Pat is looking to create cap space for a couple of years down the line.

[Vermont Green]

None of the teams that Butler wants to go to will have enough cap space to sign him in the off season.  Only the Heat will be able to offer him any kind of real money.  Riley is exerting that leverage.  Essentially saying to Butler and his agent that this is not going to work.  That MIA has the leverage here.  If you want to go to HOU for the Min or for the MLE or something, fine, but I am not going to trade you now so some other team can pay you in the off season with Bird Rights.

I think the realization for MIA is that even if they were willing to trade him, what can they get?  Trades are really hard these days, especially if it is a contender trying to take in a player (assuming most contenders are over the cap, over the tax, and in many cases, second apron tax).

[kraidstar]

Golden state has the salary and young talent to get Butler. The Warriors are wasting Curry?s final years.

I guess it depends on how the Heat view the Golden State players. I feel like Pods, Moody and Kuminga may have really dropped in value.

Yeah, I?m not sure. Those guys are all super young. Kuminga and Moody are 22. Podziemski is 21. I think they have quite a bit of value.

Even if Miami agrees, the teams are going to have serious problems matching salaries. Draymond and Shroeder are necessary to get it close. And even then, both teams are near or above the first apron, drastically reducing the combinations of players that can be exchanged, even when the salaries are within 10% of each other.

It took me a whole bunch of attempts to get a trade to work in the trade machine.

It's not happening between those two teans.

[Phantom255x]

Phoenix feels like the only realistic option, but that?s contingent on Beal waiving his NTC and them getting a 3rd team involved who could probably send picks to Miami

But then does Miami or another team even want Beal and his salary? I doubt it lol