The Miami Heat trade Jimmy Butler to the Houston Rockets in a low-profiled swap
It remains to be seen just how interested the Houston Rockets would be in making a deal for Jimmy Butler but with everything that has been reported, a prerequisite likely revolves around the team being able to pull off a deal without touching or breaking up their young core. In this offer, the Rockets would accomplish that while also adding a veteran star to help legitimize the team heading into the second half of the season. If this is a package that gets a deal done, I'd imagine the Rockets would strongly consider it.
In this hypothetical package, the Heat would trade Jimmy to the Rockets in exchange for Dillon Brooks, Steven Adams, Jae'Sean Tate, and a 2027 first-round pick. If Houston wants, they could make this pick top 7 protected to add some insurance in case of disaster in the future. All in all, this is a package that Houston should be willing to offer as we inch closer to the NBA Trade Deadline. The question is, would this offer be something the Miami Heat would be all that interested in?
Why the Miami Heat should consider the trade: To be completely honest, this is not that bad of a deal and if it were to be offered to the Heat, I do believe that they would strongly consider it. However, there's no flash and not much substance to this deal and that's probably one of the bigger reasons why the Heat would have a difficult time selling the franchise on it. But that doesn't mean Miami shouldn't seriously consider such a swap should it come across their table between now and the NBA Trade Deadline.
Both Adams and Tate are expiring contracts and the Brooks deal doesn't look as bad right now as it did when it was originally signed. I also can't fully explain how much of a difference adding a 2027 first-round pick can make for the Heat. It will give them another asset to use down the road and help free up some of their other first-round picks in the future. Who knows if this is a move the Rockets would be willing to seriously consider but if they could acquire Jimmy without touching their young core, Houston would likely have a hard time in passing on such a move.