The Miami Heat face their biggest decision of a decade this year: whether to trade or re-sign veteran superstar Jimmy Butler.
There are positives and negatives on both sides, but CBS Sports believes a world in which the Heat acquire Butler at the trade deadline would be ideal. Management adds serious ROI by moving him in February, rather than letting him leave in free agency for nothing.
“There is a world in which the Heat could pivot to build entirely around Adebayo, trading Butler while his stock is still high and getting assets back,” Jasmyn Wimbish of CBS wrote“It makes a lot more sense to try to pair Adebayo with someone who’s on a similar timeline to his right now, rather than waiting to see if Butler can stay healthy enough and ruining the prime of Adebayo’s career.”
There’s a lot of debate over whether Adebayo can step into the No. 1 role. While the three-time All-Star is expected to step up without Butler on the roster, the Heat’s depth could alleviate some of the pressure.
“Butler will likely have some extra motivation this offseason to try to get that extension, so maybe he’ll show Riley enough to get that new deal,” Wimbish wrote. “But if we get to February and he’s already missed chunks of time, we could start the Butler trade machine.”
The first half of the regular season could make or break Butler’s future with the Heat.
MORE HEAT NEWS
NBA Legend Shaquille O’Neal Outraged by Pat Riley-JJ Redick Comparison
Jimmy Butler Eyeing Brooklyn Nets? Miami Heat Superstar ‘Loves’ Team
Anthony Pasciolla works as a contributing writer for Miami Heat On SI. You can contact him at [email protected] or follow him on X @AnthonyPasci.
Follow all our Miami Heat coverage on Facebook HERE.
