Siegel's Scoop: Why Jimmy Butler's future doesn't control trade deadline
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Jimmy Butler’s decision that he no longer wants to play for the Miami Heat has not changed a whole lot regarding the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline. While several teams have contacted the Heat about possibly trading for Butler, no real traction on a potential deal has formed.
The six-time All-Star has hit rock bottom in terms of what his value is since rival teams know he no longer has a desire to play in South Beach, which is why Miami hasn’t and will not get the trade package they are seeking.
Not to mention, several teams have been told that Butler holds no desire to play for them, which complicates trade talks even more for the Heat.
“The thing about the Heat is that they have offers and can trade Butler right now for value. The problem is that it’s not the value they want or that they price Jimmy at,” a Western Conference scout told ClutchPoints. “At this point, his value is what it is because of what both he and the team have done to one another. Just cut ties, get what you can, and then figure out a way to move forward because there is no way there won’t be ill feelings or an awkwardness in that locker room the rest of the way.”
When Damian Lillard requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers in 2023, a similar demand appeared when he and his agent made it clear that the All-Star guard only wanted to play for the Heat. This was met with stern warnings from the league, and Lillard was ultimately thrilled to join Giannis Antetokounmpo on the Milwaukee Bucks.
A similar situation has developed with Butler in the sense that he is trying to influence the Heat to trade him to one team and one team only — the Phoenix Suns. Although Butler and his agent haven’t publicly said that Jimmy will only be willing to play for the Suns in a trade, it is no secret among league circles that he wants to be in Phoenix alongside Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.
This is not only due to the odds of contending for a championship but also due to owner Mat Ishbia’s willingness to offer contract extensions to his star players. Even though no market outside of Phoenix has formed for Butler on the trade market, a deal coming to light with the Suns before the trade deadline is highly unlikely due to Bradley Beal holding firm on his no-trade clause, league sources said.
If Beal is to be traded, it would be on his terms to a team of his choice. Whereas Butler has some teams interested in him — the Suns standing out among the rest — Beal has no suitors with over $110 million remaining on his contract. It has also been well documented by ClutchPoints and other outlets that the Heat would not take Beal back in a potential trade involving Butler this season.
Butler being traded to the Suns isn’t a realistic scenario that will play out before the NBA trade deadline, barring an unforeseen change of heart from Miami. Could this lead to other teams taking a risk on Butler as a three-month rental to make a real title push?
After all, Butler doesn’t have a no-trade clause, and he could find himself in a situation where the Heat trade him to any team for any value possible. That is what the Blazers did with Lillard, which is why he settled and found happiness with the Bucks, who are the one dark-horse team that makes a lot of sense for Butler.
The bottom line is that Butler doesn’t have any value on the trade market. That is why the Heat are stuck in the mud with no realistic path to making a drastic change to their roster.
“The Heat trapped themselves in this situation. Butler had done this before in other places, and they simply did not care that Butler led them to two NBA Finals,” an Eastern Conference executive stated. “[Pat] Riley operates a tight ship down there, and he’ll be damned before he lets a player dictate the moves he makes. Nobody is irreplaceable to that man. I mean, look how [Dwyane] Wade’s time ended there!”
No matter what happens, Butler won’t be receiving the money he wants from any other team in the offseason, which is why his $52 million player option could be the key to an offseason trade for the Heat to offload the star. All indications continue to point in the direction of Butler rejoining the Heat once his suspension lifts, a situation that could result in even more challenges for the organization.
Upon his suspension being lifted, will Butler step back on the court and play with low energy, or will he be the player everyone around the league has known him for being? What about his presence and leadership in the locker room after everything that has happened in the public eye and behind the scenes?
These are questions that league personnel continue to ponder.
“If Jimmy comes back and actually cares, the Heat can still go on a run and live up to their potential during the second half of the season. If Jimmy comes back, has no care in the world, and continues to focus more on his life off the court with his coffee business, then he is simply going to cost himself money,” one Western Conference executive pointed out. “At some point, he needs to wake up and realize he is ruining his legacy in Miami and with that fan base, that is if he already hasn’t.”
Whatever happens once Butler’s suspension is lifted by the Heat happens. There is no turning back, and Miami can only play with the cards they have been given at this point. This market surrounding Butler is at a standstill, which is why his destiny no longer holds barring or significant control over how the NBA trade deadline will play out.
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Warriors seeking help not named Jimmy Butler
Dennis Schroder was a key addition for the Golden State Warriors to replace De’Anthony Melton, who suffered a torn ACL. However, Schroder’s arrival has not changed much for the Warriors regarding their offense improving.
The Dubs still rank 18th in offensive rating this season and are averaging just 107.6 points per game over their last 14 games, where they are 5-9 overall, which ranks 26th in the league during this span.
Outside of Stephen Curry, the Warriors are one of the league’s most inconsistent offensive teams, and this has resulted in them once again fighting for positioning in the play-in tournament region of the Western Conference standings.
Curry is not getting any younger, and his frustrations continue to mount. This has been very apparent, as the 36-year-old star has been seen visibly discouraged at times on the Warriors’ sideline during games.
As good as the 10-time All-Star is, he can’t carry this franchise by himself, especially with the amount of talent spread out across the league. That is why the Warriors have been aggressive on the trade market leading up to the Feb. 6 deadline.
The only problem is the Warriors are having trouble finding adequate moves that set them up for immediate success in the trade market for two main reasons. Not only have financial reasons since they are hard-capped at the first tax apron limit the type of talents this franchise can pursue, but rival organizations, especially in the West, know that Golden State is desperate.
Mike Dunleavy Jr., Joe Lacob, and the entire Warriors front office have been scouring the trade market since the second week of the 2024-25 season to try and pinpoint the right upgrades. Even dating back as far as the offseason, this organization has made it a point of emphasis to remain aggressive and pursue star-level talent existing on the market.
Paul George and Lauri Markkanen were their focus before trade talks for both players fell through over the summer.
All avenues for improvement have been explored by Golden State, including the possibility of helping facilitate bigger trades that could happen. While negotiating a deal with the Brooklyn Nets for Dennis Schroder, the Warriors also pursued Cam Johnson, one of the most coveted trade deadline talents available.
The Nets’ asking price was too steep for the Dubs, which is why there was never any traction on a deal, sources said.
With the Warriors effectively out of the running for a player like Johnson, they are still monitoring what Brooklyn does with the 28-year-old wing because of the amount of interest he has drawn from playoff-contending teams. Any team that trades for Johnson must account for his apron salary of $27 million rather than his $22.5 million cap hit due to unlikely incentives in his contract. That is why the Warriors can help facilitate a Johnson trade with their expiring contract.
The Indiana Pacers recently held brief trade discussions with the Nets regarding Johnson, sources said. If the Pacers were to emerge as aggressive suitors for Johnson, they would need to find a way to come up with close to $27 million in outgoing salaries, which is why Obi Toppin and Aaron Nesmith would very likely be included in the deal.
With Brooklyn not looking to take back long-term salary, it is possible that either forward could be rerouted to a third team, sources said, which is why the Warriors are keeping an eye on Nesmith’s availability.
Ultimately, while Golden State wants to add star-level talent next to Curry, that won’t happen at this trade deadline. The Warriors are not in a position to give up three or four players for one star-level player given their financial positioning, and there aren’t really any stars on the market that are worth trading for.
Butler was a player the Dubs held interest in dating back to the offseason, and they had contacted Miami over the summer about the star’s availability, sources said. These conversations were brought up again by the Warriors given the drama that Butler and the Heat have dealt with this season. At no point were the two sides ever close to a deal.
The Warriors have been hesitant to move on from Andrew Wiggins, and the Heat made it a point that they would want Jonathan Kuminga in any deal.
Although they are willing to discuss young assets on their roster more than ever for a substantial move, the Warriors have silenced rumors about dealing Wiggins or Kuminga at this time. A trade where Golden State would leverage one of their key forwards for a star hasn’t developed to this point, nor will it before the NBA trade deadline.
So, what’s next for the Warriors and their search for upgrades to try and make a legitimate playoff push?
The widespread belief around the league is that Golden State will use their expiring contracts and remaining second-round draft assets to add a key frontcourt talent. Jonas Valanciunas, Nikola Vucevic, Chris Boucher, Day’Ron Sharpe, and Nick Richards are five of the most talked-about centers on the trade market, and the Dubs have been linked to both Valanciunas and Vucevic in recent weeks.
Finding a stretch big man who can extend the offense to the perimeter has been a preference the Warriors have held while searching the trade market, leading many to believe that Vucevic is the player at the top of their list.
The Chicago Bulls big man is making $20 million this season and would be an obvious fit in the Warriors’ style of play offensively because of his three-point shooting. At 34 years old, Vucevic is averaging 20.2 points and 10.1 rebounds per game while shooting 42.4 percent from three-point range.
Valanciunas is a much cheaper option for Golden State at $9.9 million, but he still has two more seasons left on his contract after this season. The idea of maintaining cap flexibility entering the offseason is key for the Warriors. Prior experience making trades with the Washington Wizards obviously puts the Warriors in a good position to pursue Valanciunas if they want to.
Other big men, such as John Collins and Robert Williams III, have been brought up in trade rumors around the league heading into the deadline. It is unlikely that the Warriors would pursue either player for different reasons.
Besides Collins making $26.5 million and being out of the Warriors’ price range, it is hard to see the Utah Jazz holding trade conversations with the Warriors before the deadline after everything went south regarding Markkanen in the offseason.
The Warriors weren’t willing to meet Utah’s demands then, hence why it’s hard to see the two sides striking a deal on anyone else. Then again, a deal involving Walker Kessler and Jordan Clarkson would be everything the Warriors need at the deadline.
Williams is a player the Portland Trail Blazers value. After all, the Blazers specifically targeted Williams in their trade with the Boston Celtics involving Jrue Holiday before the 2023-24 season. Portland is not actively shopping Williams, and they won’t be looking to dump him for a slew of second-round picks.
With three notable big men on their roster — Deandre Ayton, Donovan Clingan, and Williams — the Blazers are looking to find a balance. This is why Ayton is starting to look like the odd man out in Portland and the player they would rather trade in their frontcourt, sources said. This will most likely be a scenario that the Blazers explore in the offseason to try and find a suitor, as Ayton doesn’t hold much of a market right now.
Jusuf Nurkic is another big man hearing his name in trade rumors. However, it is extremely unlikely he would be an option for the Warriors given his past with Draymond Green.
Phoenix has been an aggressive team in the trade market outside of pursuing Butler. A point of emphasis has been put on improving their frontcourt and adding talent to their second unit, which is why Nurkic’s $18.1 million can be leveraged. Richards is once again going to appear in rumors for the Suns after being a target of theirs at the trade deadline last season.
The Los Angeles Lakers also held interest in Richards dating back to the offseason when they attempted to trade for him.
Between now and the trade deadline, it would be shocking to many around the league if the Warriors didn’t make a substantial move. At 19-18 overall, Golden State feels a sense of urgency to capitalize on the time Curry has left.
Kyle Kuzma’s trade market cools
Aside from shopping Valanciunas at the trade deadline, the Wizards are open to hearing any offers that come their way for Kyle Kuzma, sources said. Kuzma was a player on the trade block at last season’s trade deadline, and he was almost traded to the Dallas Mavericks before asking management not to make that trade. This season, it is said that Kuzma would now be open to joining the Mavs.
Unfortunately for Kuzma, Dallas is unlikely to pursue him since they are roughly $500,000 below the hard cap and instead added PJ Washington at the deadline last year.
To pursue Kuzma, the Mavs would need to come up with $26.5 million in matching salaries, which would see them trade some combination of Klay Thompson, Daniel Gafford, or Washington with Maxi Kleber. This isn’t a scenario Dallas is pursuing at this time.
The Mavericks can still be aggressive on the trade market and find potential upgrades by utilizing the contracts of Kleber ($11 million), Dwight Powell ($4 million), and Olivier-Maxence Prosper ($2.8 million). It would come as a surprise to many league personnel who spoke with ClutchPoints if the Mavs moved on from Quentin Grimes, who has been a key contributor behind Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
If Dallas doesn’t target an affordable guard like Jordan Clarkson, who is making $14 million, keep an eye on them pursuing more wing and forward depth with names like Obi Toppin and Larry Nance Jr. The Mavs could also help facilitate any trade and eye Kyle Anderson or Gary Payton II for extra wing depth if the Warriors move either talent at the trade deadline.
Kuzma was drawing trade interest from several teams before the holiday season. His market has since cooled, although the Sacramento Kings remain a team to watch for the Wizards’ forward if they strike out on a trade with the Nets for Johnson. Both the Warriors and Lakers have backed off from pursuing Kuzma after striking deals for Schroder and Dorian Finney-Smith, respectively. The Pacers have also gone silent regarding Kuzma for the time being, sources said.
While the Houston Rockets were another team named as a possible suitor for Kuzma once upon a time, they have not shown any interest in parting ways with their young core, specifically rookie guard Reed Sheppard. After recently being sent to the G League, Sheppard recorded 49 points with eight made triples in his debut with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.
Houston has shown no willingness to sacrifice assets right now, as they will evaluate all of their options to add an All-Star talent in the offseason. This is why they also hold zero interest in a Butler trade with the Heat. Should the Rockets make a move at the deadline, they will do so using Jock Landale, Jeff Green, and Jae’Sean Tate as expiring contracts.
Barring a surprise team emerging, the Kings appear to be Kuzma’s likeliest destination if moved at the trade deadline.
Aside from Valanciunas being another trade asset in Washington, Malcolm Brogdon is a veteran worth discussing. The 32-year-old guard currently makes $22.5 million and will become an unrestricted free agent in the offseason. Any team needing extra backcourt depth in their second unit would be wise to target the former Sixth Man of the Year.
Could the Pistons emerge as sneaky buyers?
One of the most intriguing teams to discuss trending toward the NBA trade deadline is the Detroit Pistons. When was the last time you heard that?
It has been quite a long time since the Pistons were relevant in the Eastern Conference for positive reasons. Although this organization made headlines last season, it was for all the worst reasons during their historic 28-game losing streak.
Losing in that way is a thing of the past for the Pistons under JB Bickerstaff’s leadership, as this team currently finds themselves at 19-19 this season and very much in play for an actual playoff spot in the East. Cade Cunningham is going to be a first-time All-Star, and this young, scrappy Pistons team continues to trend in a positive direction.
League personnel are monitoring the Pistons closely leading up to the Feb. 6 trade deadline, especially in the wake of Jaden Ivey’s fractured leg injury. This organization still has $14 million in cap space and is not close to reaching any tax apron, which puts them in a position to pull off a big move if they wanted to.
There is no better time for Detroit to add another high-level or star-like player next to Cunningham than right now given the success they’ve found before the All-Star break, which is why they have been linked to New Orleans Pelicans star forward Brandon Ingram. Not only would Ingram supply the Pistons with a much-needed second go-to scorer, but his previous relationship with Trajan Langdon holds a lot of weight in regards to a potential trade between the two teams.
Another key question regarding the Pistons is whether or not they would consider joining the Cam Johnson sweepstakes. The Nets have created a bidding war for their forward, who they don’t necessarily need to trade right now since many teams view him as the ideal mold for a secondary talent next to a star-level player. Would Detroit sacrifice some young talents and draft picks to pursue Johnson?
Detroit does have expiring contracts in the form of Tim Hardaway Jr. ($16.1 million) and Malik Beasley ($6 million), as well as key young talents like Isaiah Stewart, Ron Holland II, and Marcus Sasser.
While Ivey’s injury is unfortunate given the breakout season he was having and certainly not what the Pistons wanted to see, it does open the door a little for this organization to finally step forward. There is a path to the Pistons being a playoff team this season, and with Cade emerging as one of the best pure guards in the league, now would be the perfect time for this franchise to pull off a notable move.
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