Heat Predicted To Add Veteran NBA Champion In Trade Sending Jimmy Butler To Spurs
Winning is the No. 1 priority for Miami Heat team president Pat Riley and the rest of the front office.
This is true whether six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler is on the court or not. Odds are, the Heat will be looking to contend without Butler in the near future, but instead, the win-now return package Riley is truly happy with. One of the top criteria for a win-now player is to have experience winning, which is what the San Antonio Spurs could send in return for the 35-year-old.
FanSided predicted the following trade could take place between the Heat and Spurs, landing a veteran NBA champion in Miami:
Spurs receive: Jimmy Butler, Josh Richardson
Heat receive: Harrison Barnes, Keldon Johnson, Malaki Branham, 2025 first-round pick, 2027 first-round pick
The reality is that although all three of these Spurs players can make an immediate impact in the Heat’s rotation, better offers should come forth. Barnes remains a consistent rotational piece while Johnson and Branham could develop into truly promising pieces, but this package does not keep Miami in the hunt for a title.
Instead, the Heat should look to negotiate a three-team trade that brings back a player the caliber of Sacramento Kings’ De’Aaron Fox or New Orleans Pelicans’ Brandon Ingram.
MORE HEAT NEWS
Heat Secure Sought-After $94.5 Million Forward In Pitched Jimmy Butler Trade
Did Jimmy Butler Spark A Trend Of South Florida Superstars Requesting Trades?
Anthony Pasciolla works as a contributing writer to Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at [email protected] or follow him on X @AnthonyPasci.
