Heat player who must be traded soon
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After last season’s early playoff exit at the hands of Eastern Conference rival, the Boston Celtics, the Miami Heat franchise were caught in a dilemma whether to stick with their core led by Jimmy Butler or to blow it up.
However, the Heat opted to run it back with their roster, despite the noise. The Heat franchise has made significant noise, successfully rebuilding the team, despite the departures of the Big Three of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. Since then, the team has relied on the star power of Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Tyler Herro.
Since putting together a competitive core, the Heat have pulled off some surprises, highlighted by Finals appearances in 2020 and 2023. They’ve even established themselves as a legitimate threat in the Eastern Conference. Unfortunately, even with all their accomplishments, the present era still has no rings to show for.
While the Heat running back the roster keeps the door open for a championship banner, anyone can tell that this roster is no longer the same. With an aging Butler, the team faces a crossroads. It’s safe to say that while he still holds tremendous value in the market, the team must trade away the six-time All-Star in exchange for potential franchise cornerstones of the future.
Jimmy Butler had been injury-riddled
Butler is highly praised for leading the franchise to a pair of NBA Finals appearances. But at 35 years old, it’s safe to say that Father Time is also catching up to the six-time NBA All-Star.
For instance, Butler only played 60 games last season before spraining his MCL in the Play-In Tournament against the Philadelphia 76ers. The injury forced the Heat to march on the playoffs without their star. Without Butler, the eventual champions Boston Celtics would capitalize and send the Heat home as early as the first round.
Although there was chatter about Butler’s future with the Heat, the former NBA Most Improved Player decided to stay put in South Beach. On the other hand, it was evident that the Heat front office wasn’t ready to kick start a rebuilding chapter just yet. Nonetheless, 20 games into the 2024-2025 season, Butler has already missed five.
Furthermore, the team’s posting a mediocre record of 10-10. When Butler suits up for the team, the team has posted a 8-7 win-loss card. Although the Heat are still formidable with their star, his ability to replicate his previous deep playoff runs at this stage of his career is questionable at best.
Lowest production in a Heat uniform
Aside from injuries, another indicator of Butler’s declining play is his production. In 15 games, Butler is averaging 18.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game. Those are his lowest numbers ever since he took his talents to South Beach.
While those numbers are still respectable, including his 54.8% shooting clip from the field overall, the Heat don’t look like a legitimate playoff threat. In fact, there are heavy expectations that the Heat will be another Play-In team looking to pull off another set of surprises. Although the Heat are no strangers to shocking the league, Butler’s declining performance is a strong red flag.
Anyone can tell that going deep into the playoffs requires a healthy team. However, if the star of the team struggles to stay on the court, then chances are that Miami will be writing the same story that sees them exit the postseason without a trophy. If that’s the writing on the wall, it might be wiser for the franchise to blow up the roster and to start the rebuild.
Maximizing Butler’s value
One of the biggest headlines during the offseason was Butler’s declaration of wanting to stay put in Miami. Although it temporarily turns off any potential blockbuster trade at that moment, let’s not forget that Butler is entering the next offseason with a player option.
Furthermore, midway through the season, Butler has been a fixture in the trade rumor mill. While Butler trade proposals have been set in motion, it’s up to the Heat front office to actually materialize those deals. But make no mistake, it doesn’t look like the team will be hard pressed to find any potential trade suitors, especially among championship contenders. Inserting Butler on any team with championship desire should make some noise in the league.
Trading away Butler will surely mark the end of an era in Miami. However, it also paves the way for a new one, leaving the younger guns like Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo to carry the franchise onto their backs. On the other hand, a change in scenery for the five time All-NBA Team player should bold well for his championship pursuits that has been elusive to him throughout his career.
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