Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat
With all the noise that has surrounded the Miami Heat and Jimmy Butler to start this season, it would be surprising at this point if this marriage continued for much longer. Jimmy wants a max contract extension and if the Heat weren't willing to give him one during the offseason, I find it hard to believe their stance is going to change much on that front with anything that has transpired this season. Both sides appear to be somewhat fed up with each other and a divorce seems all but likely at some point in 2025.
Of course, there's only one problem with that. If the Heat and Jimmy Butler are going to part ways, it's likely going to have to come via trade. If it doesn't happen at the NBA Trade Deadline, it's almost. certainly going to happen during the offseason (via sign and trade). The only teams with cap space to sign Jimmy outright are the Brooklyn Nets. Considering they're unlikely to use cap space to sign Jimmy, the Heat is going to have to help with a sign and trade for Jimmy to find a team that is willing to pay him what he believes he's worth. It's a pretty fair prediction to suggest Jimmy is going to be traded at some point in 2025.
Jerami Grant, Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers are another team that appears on the path toward a complete rebuilding of their roster. At some point soon, the Blazers are going to have to pivot wholeheartedly toward this idea. That's why I predict that at some point in 2025, we're going to see the Blazers do exactly this and trade a veteran like Jerami Grant. Still in the prime years of his career, it would be pretty depressing to see him "waste" another season. That's exactly what he'd be doing if he wasn't traded out of Portland at some point soon.
Grant deserves to be playing for a contender and the Blazers aren't a team that is in that position at the moment. Could Portland eventually get to a spot where they're competing for a playoff spot again in the Western Conference? Absolutely. However, at least for now, the Blazers are probably years away from that happening. That's why trading Grant makes the most sense for both sides. If I had to guess, I'd imagine the best shot of that happening is going to come during the offseason and not at the trade deadline. But, if a deal comes across the wire at the deadline, the Blazers shouldn't be all that opposed to one.