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Miami Heat: Refusing to trade Josh Richardson for Jimmy Butler is a mistake

By Michael Saenz

ATLANTA, GA - FEBRUARY 19: Josh Richardson #0 of the Miami Heat dunks against Mike Muscala #31 of the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena on February 19, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - FEBRUARY 19: Josh Richardson #0 of the Miami Heat dunks against Mike Muscala #31 of the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena on February 19, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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The Miami Heat are refusing to include Josh Richardson in any Jimmy Butler trade offers, and that is a big mistake

According to reports, the Miami Heat are reluctant to include Josh Richardson in any Jimmy Butler trade offers to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Perhaps it’s a negotiating tactic and this is all just part of the plan for Pat Riley and he has and endgame here that concludes with the Heat winning the Butler sweepstakes, but if not this is a huge mistake.

That’s because in no world should Josh Richardson be held in higher value – no matter what the contracts are – than Jimmy Butler, who, when healthy, is easily a top 15 player in the NBA.

Richardson is a really good player. He’s a fun interview and gives you every reason in the world to like him as a person, but that shouldn’t be valued when discussing his potential as a player.

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Richardson is about to enter his fourth year in the NBA and odds are that he likely is close to his ceiling or right at it. And right now, no matter how much you analyze the numbers, that ceiling is not Jimmy Butler’s.

I love Josh Richardson as much as any Heat fan. The bottom line is simple. He’s a really good player, but likely won’t ever be a star – not on the same level as a Butler.

As the great Daryl Morey says, you know pretty much what a player is and what he isn’t by year three. Morey saying this and the Heat completely believing the opposite is almost perfect irony.

Morey sweeping in to steal Jimmy Butler from under the mat while Pat Riley and the Heat put their hope and faith on a really good, but probably not great fourth-year player would be the perfect ending in all this. Or the worse for Heat fans.

But it goes much deeper than just the simple fact of is Richardson on track to be a star or not. For the Heat, landing Butler wouldn’t just be about being a top 4 seed in the East this season. This would ideally be the first move in a sequence of them over the next few months and years.

In order to compete in today’s NBA, you need multiple stars. The Heat don’t currently have any on their roster right now. Acquiring Butler would be the first step in becoming real players. And stars like to play with other stars. Not the Josh Richardsons of the world.

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Again, this is not a knock on Josh Richardson. He’s a great person, one that’s easily to root for. And is a player that every championship team needs. But it’s more about what Jimmy Butler is and what he represents.

Right now, the Miami Heat are fooling themselves if they believe they have a young Jimmy Butler in Josh Richardson. And it would be a huge mistake if they continue down this path. If moving Richardson is what it takes to land their star, that’e exactly what they should do. Get. Their. Star.

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