Jimmy Butler has led the Miami Heat to two NBA Finals (and to Game 7 of the conference finals) since arriving in 2019. He didn't sign an extension last summer, though, and, through 22 games this season, Miami is 12-10. Given that he could be a free agent next offseason -- Butler has a $52.4 million player option for 2025-26 -- it is unclear whether or not the Heat and their franchise player have much of a future together.
On Tuesday, ESPN's Shams Charania reported that Miami is "open to listening to offers for Butler and making a deal if the proposal is right," citing league sources. ESPN also reported that Butler is open to trades that would send him to the Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets or Dallas Mavericks, and that he does not intend to pick up his player option.
Butler, 35, is still an All-Star-caliber player. This season, he has averaged 19 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.2 steals in 32.1 minutes. His usage rate has dropped, but he's never been more efficient. Assuming he's healthy come playoff time, he should be expected to raise his game like he normally does.
The ESPN article points out that Butler "has an affinity for Miami." The question, though, is how far the Heat are from making another Finals run. Tyler Herro has made a leap, but Bam Adebayo is having a down year offensively and the Terry Rozier trade made at last year's deadline hasn't worked out the way they hoped. As things stand, it is difficult to imagine them challenging the defending-champion Boston Celtics.
What happens with Ingram and the Pelicans?
It is not easy to build a trade around Brandon Ingram. The New Orleans Pelicans forward is on a $36 million expiring contract, and he's looking for a raise. He and the Pelicans couldn't work out an extension last summer, and he recently switched agents. Even before he was sidelined indefinitely with a sprained ankle, this was a complicated situation.
According to ESPN, New Orleans is still "much more likely" to trade Ingram than to retain him beyond this season, and his new reps with Klutch Sports are "in constant dialogue" with lead executive David Griffin. Due to a litany of injuries, the Pelicans have started the season 5-20, which is the worst record in the West. Opposing teams have also reportedly started expressing interest in Herb Jones and CJ McCollum.
ESPN also reported that the Minnesota Timberwolves were interested in Ingram last summer, before they traded Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks. Towns would have needed to be involved in the deal, but the big man's salary -- $49.2 million this season in Year 1 of a four-year extension -- meant that talks didn't go anywhere.
What about the Warriors?
Golden State went couldn't trade for Paul George or Lauri Markkanen last summer, but that doesn't mean it's done star-hunting. The Warriors are expected to "remain aggressive this deadline," per ESPN.
One big variable that could affect their strategy: The play of fourth-year forward Jonathan Kuminga. The 22-year-old has star potential himself, and, after Steve Kerr chose to start him over Draymond Green last Friday, the coach said that they are "trying to make the most of Jonathan's ability to get downhill, to get him more time." Green and franchise player Stephen Curry co-signed the decision.
"As I've always said, I care about this organization," Green told reporters. "And I know a lot of people in this organization, including myself, think he's next. And so, if he's next, at some point we've gotta see it. And for him to do that, he needs the opportunity."
Kuminga will be a restricted free agent in July, as he didn't sign a rookie-scale extension before the season. Golden State offered him a deal worth about $30 million annually, but Kuminga was hoping for something closer to a max contract, The Athletic previously reported.
Against the Houston Rockets last week, with both Curry and Green out of the lineup, Kuminga went off for 33 points on 13-for-22 shooting. In the two games since then, however, he scored a total of 33 points on 13-for-31 shooting.
According to ESPN, the Warriors have "expressed interest" in Brooklyn Nets veterans Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith and Dennis Schroder.
One potential trade piece for Golden State is guard De'Anthony Melton, who looked like a perfect fit in its starting lineup before he tore his ACL. That season-ending injury means that he might have already played his last game for the Warriors. Melton signed a one-year deal for the $12.8 million midlevel exception last summer.
