NBA Rumors: Now that Jimmy Butler has officially asked for a trade, there are four desperate teams who should look to take a flier on the All-Star.
If Jimmy Butler's quiet quitting during the Miami Heat's 128-115 loss at the hands of the Indiana Pacers was indication enough, his formal request that was reported shortly after the game had to be. Jimmy is done with the Heat and he's made that known. There will be no preferred destinations list; Jimmy just wants to be traded anywhere. At this point, he'd rather be playing for any other team that isn't the Heat.
It goes to show how bad the relationship between the Heat and Jimmy has gotten. The bottom line is that Jimmy wants to be traded ahead of the deadline and is willing to play anywhere. Of course, that's a lot easier said than done. The Heat will not want to trade Jimmy for nothing and without much leverage, it certainly makes their situation that much more difficult. As a market will naturally begin to develop for Jimmy, we explore four desperate teams that should be willing to take a flier on Jimmy ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline.
4 Desperate teams that should consider trading for Jimmy Butler
Chicago Bulls
I'm not sure how smart it would be for the Chicago Bulls to try and trade for Jimmy Butler but if they do want to make a run to the postseason, this could be an easy player to help get him there. This would also be a reunion of sorts as Jimmy did begin his career with the Bulls. Another way to look at it is that Chicago could attempt to swap Zach LaVine for Jimmy. This would work because Jimmy is essentially on an expiring contract and this move could help Chicago get out from under LaVine's contract.
I'm not sure how willing the Heat would be to absorbing the final two years of LaVine's contract but perhaps they could view this move as a way they can remain competitive even after moving on from Jimmy. At the very least, it's something to keep an eye on as both teams could trade their respective problems for each other.
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are currently trying to figure out a way to salvage their season and if they're willing to make a big splash, perhaps they should be open to a potential move for Jimmy Butler. With all the noise surrounding a potential De'Aaron Fox trade demand, perhaps this is one last move the Kings could make to try to prove to Fox that he should stay in Sacramento and that the front office is committed to building a championship roster around him.
Wherever Jimmy is traded, he's likely going to have a huge chip on his shoulder. There's reason to believe that he could help turn the Kings' season around if he comes in with the right mindset. If Sacramento is desperate to make one more splash move, Jimmy should certainly be on their radar.
Golden State Warriors
As a contender that is trying to find another star player to help extend this team's championship window, it should not be a surprise to see the Golden State Warriors on this list. The Warriors are expected to be aggressive heading into the NBA Trade Deadline season and if Jimmy Butler is indeedd available, Golden State may be the one team that makes the most sense.
Finding a path toward a deal that makes sense for both sides will be tricky but there's reason to believe that both sides would have an incentive to get something done. If the Warriors are willing to pay Jimmy, they may be the frontrunners to land the All-Star wing ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline.
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets may just be two years removed from winning an NBA Championship but they remain a team willing to explore the possibility of shaking up their core. If they were considering trading for Zach LaVine, there's no reason why they should have at least some interest in making a similar move for Jimmy Butler.
If the Nuggets are serious about retooling their core, Jimmy should be a player on their radar. The difficulty for the Nuggets is the fact that they don't have much financial flexibility to make such a move. The path to a trade for Jimmy is a lot more difficult for the Nuggets than it will be for any other team on this list.