The Miami Heat made it to the NBA Finals last season. That is an accomplishment for any team. For this group, it was especially noteworthy. After all, the Heat had to fight through the play-in tournament to get to the big dance.
In 2023-24, they don’t look like a team that’s going to be heading back there. The Heat are 1-4 as of now. This isn’t even all that surprising. Miami struggled to win in the regular season last year, losing several key players over the summer. This team looks considerably weakened.
What should they do? Well, the Heat don’t need to panic. On the other hand, if they’re still struggling leading up to the deadline, they could consider selling.
The Heat could even be bold and trade Jimmy Butler. Could they send him to the New York Knicks?
NBA Trade Proposal — New York Knicks Land Jimmy Butler
Miami Heat Receive: F Julius Randle, G/F Evan Fournier, 2028 First-Round Pick (NYK), 2030 First-Round Pick (NYK)
New York Knicks Receive: G/F Jimmy Butler
Were the Heat lucky to get to the Finals? Sure. Yet, every team that gets to the Finals is lucky. Basketball is a make-or-miss sport. Luck plays a role in every outcome. Did it play an especially large one in bringing the Heat to the Finals?
It is possible. The Heat rode some hot shooting throughout the 2022-23 playoffs. That’s the nature of the game. Shooting variance will always be a factor in a team’s success. Still, at times, this felt like an anomaly. Miami was making an absurd number of three-pointers.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat, New York Knicks Updates
On the other hand, Butler and Bam Adebayo weren’t. The Heat’s two most important players were not necessarily lucky – they worked hard to drag Miami to the Finals.
Should the Heat really turn around and move one of them?
Why The Miami Heat Do The Deal
Again – the Heat shouldn’t rush into this. They could easily turn their season around -it is still incredibly early. This is something to think about as the deadline approaches.
No, moving Butler won’t be easy. This team’s fans have surely grown attached to him. Butler’s efforts were heroic last season. On the other hand, Miami has some difficult decisions to make.
At 34, Butler is likely to start regressing. If Miami doesn’t move him soon, they’ll likely have to ride out a contract that will before above market value before it expires. It’s not all bad.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat, New York Knicks Updates
The Heat still have Adebayo and Tyler Herro. With this team, they’re opting for a soft reset. They’re getting a productive player in Randle and some assets to retool with.
Should the Knicks give up those assets?
Why The New York Knicks Do The Deal
Somehow, this feels like selling high for the Heat and buying low for the Knicks at the same time. Based on his current production, this is a fair return for Butler – if generous. On the other hand, based on his potential production, it’s a steal for the Knicks.
We all know that Butler is a gamer. He gets up for the playoffs. Sure, his scoring has dropped off in 2023-24. Rest assured that if Butler is in the playoffs, he’ll be more productive.
For the Knicks, this is about trying to make as deep of a run as possible. Who knows how far Butler can take them? He’s got a co-star in Jalen Brunson.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat, New York Knicks Updates
Mitchell Robinson will anchor the defense, and the Knicks have a deep roster full of contributors. Adding Butler could take them to the next level. Even the NBA Finals wouldn’t be out of the question.
