The Jimmy Butler situation is more dire than it appeared. That relationship is severed and won't be repaired this season. If he's on the move, the Heat need to shift gears and think about the future.
I'm not advocating for tanking. The front office decision-making process just needs to shift. They reportedly believe this current edition of the Heat can compete and beat the Boston Celtics with or without Butler—that's far from the truth. That mindset will lead them to look for another established win-now player in the trade market, but that's a mistake. Go young and put the future first.
Here are three players under 25 years old the Heat could target in a post-Butler era.
Jonathan Kuminga, Golden State Warriors (22 years old)
Kuminga has been linked to the Heat on social media since last year. Fans and pundits just put two and two together. The Warriors were reluctant to extend him in the offseason, and the Heat did the same thing to Butler. Both players are in prove-it years.
There are legitimate reasons why Kuminga wasn't allowed to spread his wings in Golden State before this season. He's an inconsistent defender and has tunnel vision when attacking the hoop.
It's normal for a 22-year-old to be flawed, but his upside is still intriguing. Kuminga is an A+ athlete with the will of a madman. He gets to the basket regardless of who's in front of him. He's been a streaky shooter throughout his career, but the pressure he puts on the rim is undeniable.
The Warriors claim they aren't interested in trading for Butler, but these things are fluid. Some reports are fluff or plays for more leverage. This might not be fluff, though, because Andrew Wiggins, who's super talented in his own right, would likely have to be in the deal.
The Golden State Warriors are unlikely to pursue Jimmy Butler and would prefer to keep Andrew Wiggins and Jonathan Kuminga, per @TheAthletic
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) January 4, 2025
“While acknowledging Butler’s ability, sources inside the locker room (and the Warriors’ coaching staff and front office) would rather… pic.twitter.com/mxIh8BQcid
Kuminga on the Heat would give them another youthful talent, but the contact he wants could be the sticking point if the Warriors deal him. Is he worth $30M? I'd lean no, but he could look like a completely different player under Erik Spoelstra.
Cam Whitmore, Houston Rockets (20 years old)
Sure, the Houston Rockets have a lot of young talent, but Whitmore being out of the rotation and in the G League this season wasn't on my bingo card. He has similar weaknesses to Kuminga, and the Rockets' defensive culture has pushed him to the bench.
With Amen Thompson's suspension and Tari Easons' and Jabari Smith Jr.'s injury, Whitmore will have a shot to prove he belongs with the big boys. Whitemore has scored 18 points in three of the four games he's played 21+ minutes this year. Scoring is his NBA trait—he's not going to put up big numbers with the minutes he's getting (15 MPG compared to 18.7 his rookie year).
The Heat don't have a logjam of players who'd play over him. The Jaime Jaquez-Whitmore debates were rampant on social media last year, but Whitmore always had more upside, being much younger. Pelle Larsson plays a similar position/role (wing), but he's not the scorer Whitmore is. Haywood Highsmith is undoubtedly the more impactful player today, but again, Whitmore's scoring mentality could help this Heat build if he reaches his potential.
Whitmore would have to adjust and lock in defensively, which is why he's not a 25 MPG guy today. His tunnel vision with the ball doesn't help, but part of me wonders if he thinks, "I'll never get another chance tonight. I have to show them," when he enters the game. Knowing what you need to do to play more goes a long way.
Keon Ellis, Sacramento Kings (25 years old)
Keon Eliis does not need to work on locking in defensively. He's been a pesky on-ball defender since he stepped foot on the hardwood. Ellis is a more seamless fit than the two mentioned above. His gritty on-ball defense and strong shooting would do wonders next to Tyler Herro.
According to Crafted NBA, Eliis has been the fourth-best 3-and-D wing this season. He's shot 42% from 3 over the last two years on limited volume. That'd work in Miami because he'd be getting the same shots. Miami wouldn't depend on him to be more than himself.
That type of player is very valuable in the NBA today, so why is Ellis on this list? His minutes have been up and down all year, and that's baffling. Kevin Huerter was playing more than Ellis early this year despite shooting 30% from deep (he's a sharpshooter). The decision to play Huerter over Eliis seemed like a political move. Maybe they want to get Huerter's value up to trade him (playing him heavy minutes wasn't helping).
Since Mike Brown was let go, Ellis has played 26 MPG—six minutes more than his time under Brown. However, 26 is still lower than he should be playing, honestly. If the Kings don't value a hard-nosed sniper who competes every night, send him to Miami.