In an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show on June 26, 2024, Brian Windhorst discussed the escalating speculations around Jimmy Butler’s possible departure from the Miami Heat.
“Jammy Butler intends to return to the Miami Heat for the upcoming season, regardless of any extension that may be in place,” stated Windhorst.
Jimmy Butler has been successful in Miami, guiding the Heat to two trips to the NBA Finals in the previous four seasons and an appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2022. On the other hand, there is little to no margin for mistake in the Eastern Conference as it quickly becomes competitive. The Celtics, Knicks, and Bucks are vying for the first spot, while the 76ers, Pacers, and Magic are no longer the underdog clubs.
The organization can’t afford to spend any more of Butler’s years in Miami, even with the arrival of Josh Christopher, Terry Rozier, and Nikola Jovic and the squad surpassing expectations throughout the league. The Miami Heat should think about making one of these three midseason panic transactions to increase their chances of making the playoffs.
3. Mitchell Donovan
Donovan Mitchell is received by Miami Heat.
Josh Richardson, Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and several first-round selections are acquired by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Despite Mitchell signing a contract deal with the Cavaliers, the club has not had much success in the playoffs since losing to the Knicks in the first round of the 2022 playoffs and the Boston Celtics in a gentlemen’s sweep. The Cavaliers might view the five-time all-star who would accelerate the team’s development as worth bench depth and young prospects.
By adding Mitchell to the starting lineup, the Heat may be able to create a new big three in Miami, which would relieve some of the load on Butler. Mitchell thrived on both ends of the court last season, with a career-high 1.8 steals per game in addition to 26.6 points per game. With 9.8 points per game as the ball handler, Mitchell ranks sixth in the league, and his pick-and-roll combo with Bam Adebayo may result in big stats.
2. Zachary Lavine
Zach Lavine, 2028 first-round draft pick, is received by the Miami Heat.
Duncan Robinson and Terry Rozier to the Chicago Bulls
The 29-year-old just finished his worst season in six years, which included drops in 3-point shooting, steals, field goal percentage, assists, and points. Due to injuries, he only appeared in 25 games for the Bulls in the previous season, which is said to have made him one of the league’s least valuable trade targets.
LaVine might fit in perfectly in Miami, where he could form a new and improved super team with players like Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, and Butler. The Bulls were 26th in 3-point attempts last season; trading Rozier and Robinson would help balance LaVine’s expensive contract situation by giving the Heat a first-round selection in exchange for taking on the additional compensation. This could lead to an improvement in 3-point shooting overall.
1. Buying a two-time MVP of the Finals?
Received by the Miami Heat: Kawhi Leonard
Terry Rozier, Duncan Robinson, Kel’el Ware, and Nikola Jović are acquired by the Los Angeles Clippers.
By bringing in Kawhi Leonard, the Miami Heat appear to be fully committed to a win-now strategy, making this possible transaction potentially their largest since obtaining Jimmy Butler. The Los Angeles Clippers need a spark from their supporting cast if they are to succeed in the long run, especially after dealing former MVP Russell Westbrook and losing Paul George to the Philadelphia 76ers during contract talks.
After joining the Clippers four years ago, the two-time NBA champion Leonard has only made it as far as the Western Conference finals once. James Harden would have a setup reminiscent of his Houston Rockets days with this trade, and he could push the envelope as an underdog in a loaded Western Conference with a solid supporting group.
The ideal situation for the Miami Heat would be to trade for Kawhi. Along with his ability to score next to Jimmy Butler, Leonard, who averaged 23.6 points and 1.8 steals per game, would provide a defensive mindset that would go well with Bam Adebayo. The Heat would lose some depth as a result of the transfer, but Pat Riley is adept at identifying talent to cover the holes. After a league-bending contract, current free agents Lonnie Walker IV and Evan Fournier might be top choices to bolster the roster.
