NBA Trade Rumors: According to reports, the Miami Heat are aggressively pursuing a Jimmy Butler trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves
When Pat Riley and the Miami Heat see a potential avenue to get better – and fast – they often do whatever it takes to potentially land a big fish, whether that is via trade or free agency. And that’s exactly what the franchise appears to be doing now.
Last week, it was reported that Jimmy Butler demanded a trade from the Minnesota Timberwolves. It was then reported that his wishlist included three teams: New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers.
Then it was reported that Tom Thibodeau didn’t want to deal Jimmy B. Shortly after, it was reported that Minnesota ownership wanted to deal Butler sooner rather than later and that he was excused from the start of training camp.
As you can guess, there are a number of teams that are reportedly interested in landing Jimmy Butler. One of the most “aggressive” according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski is the Heat.
So far, Pat Riley and Miami have been as aggressive as any team in pursuit of a Jimmy Butler trade with Minnesota, league sources tell ESPN. Ownership still prefers to find a deal by early this week, sources said.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 23, 2018
This makes a ton of sense. Miami is usually sniffing around whenever a big name hits the open market, and Jimmy Butler is exactly what this team needs right now. They don’t have any real start power on the roster, and desperately need a go-to scorer.
Dwyane Wade is entering his final season of his career, and what better way to go out than with the guy that is going to replace you for the foreseeable future, which would be ideal should they land Butler in the trade market.
There are still a number of teams in the sweepstakes, and this news shouldn’t be surprising. The Heat should be viewed as a real possibility at this point. I’m not sure if they’re the favorites, and that doesn’t’ really matter at this point, but this is classic Riles.
Buckle up, folks.