The Jimmy Butler saga reached its boiling point on Thursday night. He has made it clear that he has no desire to remain on the Miami Heat, with most recent reports stating that he is willing to play anywhere besides South Beach.
Butler’s latest antics have forced the Heat’s hand to legitimately explore the trade market leading up to the February 6 deadline. Once viewed as the franchise superstar leading underdog playoff runs to the NBA Finals is now long gone. The bridge is burned, no matter if certain fans side with Pat Riley or Butler during this feud.
Regardless of all this drama, the show must go on. And now Riley is going to have to turn back the clock to properly facilitate the next iteration of this roster. Outside of the Alec Burks addition this past offseason, the Heat president hasn’t brought in an outside free agent in nearly two years.
Although Butler’s drama is certainly a major distraction to the state of this current team, Miami might have to take a more patient approach— even if it becomes more painful in the meantime.
It's last thing some want to hear, but you need to be patient before moving Butler. What if Durant or Fox asks out before Feb. 6 deadline & you've traded Butler for meh players/bad money? Would be foolhardly; Heat assuredly knows. Remember, Jeter caved too soon to Yelich request
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) January 3, 2025
The next disgruntled star could become available closer to that trade deadline. Let’s dive into three viable options that could shake free and provide the Heat with a win-now pivot.
1. Kevin Durant
The Phoenix Suns are a team that has been high on Butler’s preferred destinations, and a potential superstar swap between two disgruntled assets could work for all parties involved. Kevin Durant’s short Suns tenure hasn’t been too pretty. The team has heavily underperformed this season, currently sporting a 15-17 record and even sitting outside the play-in at the 11th seed in the competitive Western Conference.
They have been on a downward spiral amid an injury plagued campaign around their core. Phoenix has lost seven of their last 10 games, and coming off an early postseason first round exit last year. Durant has yet to express any intention of wanting out, but that notion could eventually change in the coming weeks if they continue to disappoint.
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo
Arguably the most unlikely on this short list comes with the status of Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Milwaukee Bucks have reportedly been firm in recent months on shutting down trade rumors with the star. But their 17-15 record is another disappointment surrounding a team with heavy title expectations.
Antetokounmpo is right smack in the middle of his prime at 30 years old. And he is having the best individual season of his career, averaging a career-high 32.4 points, 11.7 rebounds and 6.0 assists on an absurd 61% shooting. The Heat were quietly mentioned as a potential landing spot for his services when Milwaukee came out to that abysmal start in the standings.
His All-NBA talent is worth monitoring moving forward.
3. Anthony Edwards
The key trend for these potential targets comes in underwhelming team success. Anthony Edwards' situation is no different with the Minnesota Timberwolves, as they have taken a clear step back since securing the top seed in the West last year.
The Karl Anthony-Towns and Julius Randle centered swap has made the Wolves significantly worse. And Randle’s fit as a co-star alongside Edwards has been questionable, to say the least. They find themselves at the eighth seed in the West with a 17-16 record.
If Edwards decides to move on, the Heat seem like a destined pairing for both sides.
4. De’Aaron Fox
Outside of Butler’s dilemma, De’Aaron Fox seems like the second most likely star to find his way to a new team in the trade market. Fox and the Sacramento Kings have not been able to work out a new max contract extension. He is still under contract throughout the 2025-26 season, but the downfall of the Kings could speed up his eventual departure.
Sacramento has dropped to the 12th seed in the West at a losing record of 15-19. Despite their struggles, Fox is still performing like an All-NBA talent, and has recently been linked to Miami due to his connection with Bam Adebayo.