Trade rumours surrounding Miami Heat superstar Jimmy Butler began to swirl earlier this season, but Butler himself fuelled the fire last week when he declared he was no longer happy in Miami.
When asked if he can get his “joy” back on the court with the Heat, Butler said, “probably not,” during a postgame interview. This resulted in the Heat suspending Butler for seven games for “conduct detrimental to the team.” Now, It’s only a matter of time until Butler is traded ahead of the Feb. 6 deadline, but which teams are the most likely to acquire the six-time All-Star?
Butler has a cap hit of $48.79 million this season, and he holds a player option worth $52.41 million for next season. His bloated salary complicates potential trade scenarios, as does the uncertainty surrounding his player option for next season.
DraftKings is one of a few online sportsbooks to post odds on Butler’s next potential team:
| Team | Odds |
| Memphis Grizzlies | +180 |
| Phoenix Suns | +300 |
| Miami Heat | +400 |
| New Orleans Pelicans | +500 |
| Houston Rockets | +600 |
| Golden State Warriors | +850 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | +900 |
| Sacramento Kings | +1600 |
| Toronto Raptors | +25000 |
Memphis Grizzlies (+180)
The Grizzlies are enjoying a resurgent season, sitting third in the Western Conference with a 24-13 record entering play on Tuesday. Adding a player like Butler to the fold could theoretically put them over the top and vault them into true NBA title contender status, so it’s logical they’d be interested in his services. They own all of their first-round picks for the next several seasons and boast a deep roster, so all of the ingredients are in place to swing a blockbuster deal with Miami. Marcus Smart, Brandon Clarke, and Luke Kennard could be dangled as potential trade pieces along with picks.
Phoenix Suns (+300)
The Suns are desperate with a disappointing 16-18 record to vault back into contention in the Western Conference. They have a veteran roster that can’t seem to stay healthy, and they’re stuck in win-now mode due to the massive contracts of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal (all making around $50 million each this season). Beal would be the likely player to head back the other way in a potential deal for Butler, but he does have a no-trade clause in his contract, which complicates matters. Also, would the Heat really want to add him to their roster with Tyler Herro already occupying the shooting guard position in Miami? Trying to work a deal any other way under the salary cap rules and contract structures of the potential players involved makes this scenario virtually impossible.
New Orleans Pelicans (+500)
Why would one of the worst teams in the Western Conference be interested in acquiring Butler’s services? Well, they have a ton of talent on their roster despite a miserable 7-29 record, but there’s optimism that a change on the sidelines and a fresh start next season could be enough to vault them back into contention. They also boast some interesting trade chips, most notably pending free agent Brandon Ingram, who is playing out the final year of his current $36-million deal. A deal involving Zion Williamson and/or CJ McCollum could also be on the table. The Pelicans, who have several intriguing trade pieces, also boast four first-round picks over the next two seasons, which could also be used to land Butler in a blockbuster.
Houston Rockets (+600)
Might the Rockets push their chips into the middle of the table for a title run this year? Yes, they could. They sit second in the Western Conference with a 23-12 record, and adding Butler would make them serious contenders to win it all. They have a few players on expiring deals, like Steven Adams and Jeff Green, that could be included in a potential swap along with draft picks. Houston holds the rights to two first-round picks in 2025 and three in 2027, so the ammunition is there to get a deal done.
Golden State Warriors (+850)
The core pieces of an aging dynasty are still mostly intact, but it’s hard to imagine the Warriors swinging a deal for Butler without the help of a third team getting involved. Dennis Schroder and Gary Payton III would have to be included in any potential deal, but a third team would still be needed to make it work under the salary cap. Golden State wouldn’t part with the large salaries of Stephen Curry, Andrew Wiggins, and Draymond Green with the hopes of making a playoff push, so the financial dynamics are murky at best. However, it’s still possible to swing a deal, and the Warriors do own the rights to their own first-round picks through 2029.
Best bet: Grizzlies (+180) or Rockets (+600)
The Grizzlies are set at every position except at small forward (Jaylen Wells is at the top of the depth chart), so adding Butler really would fill a void and make them a powerhouse in the Western Conference. Memphis isn’t a marquee free-agent destination, so making a deal of this magnitude, at this time, is really the only option to true contention in the foreseeable future. This is a good opportunity for Memphis to take advantage of, assuming Butler can recapture his “joy” and play an his accustomed elite level in the playoffs.
Much like the Grizzlies, the Rockets are also in a good position to make this trade, but they’re also in a good position to stay the course. The team’s core pieces are all under contract for next season, and with a ton of draft capital, the Rockets could be even better next year either by adding through the draft or by swinging a deal using those picks in the summer to improve the roster. Opportunities to add an elite player like Butler are rare, though, so the Rockets are, in my opinion, the best underdog bet to swing the deal.
