Miami Heat: 5-Step plan toward a near-perfect offseason to reemerge as contenders

Step 5: Give Jimmy Butler a 1-2 year contract extension

At the end of the day, the Miami Heat needs to keep the heart and soul of the team happy. And giving Jimmy Butler a short-term max extension could be a good way of appeasing both sides. The Heat could essentially give Jimmy a one-year extension with a new deal and would effectively give this Jimmy build a two-year window. No matter what ends up happening this offseason, that's a fair move for both sides. And if the Heat does end up acquiring another All-Star talent, this extension would keep Jimmy around to give him one final shot to win a title before he retires.

In the end, the Heat almost has to have a perfect offseason for them to reemerge as a championship contender next season. While it would be a tall task, it's not entirely off the table. If there's any front office you can have at least some confidence in, it's the Heat's. They've earned it.

Even though that can be difficult to believe after what transpired last offseason, what other option does the franchise have? They're not going to pivot toward a rebuild and, despite the whispers and speculation, it would still be a huge surprise if the Heat ended up trading Jimmy.