Where’s Jimmy Butler going? As the NBA world looks onto the Miami Heat and what they will do with Butler, there’s still no clear answer as to how things will play out.
The Phoenix Suns are the most motivated team to acquire Butler, but also the team with the most hoops to jump through. Other teams on Butler’s preferred list of destinations – the Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks – are reportedly uninterested.
That should, theoretically, open the Heat up to fielding offers from other teams. The Heat have yet to find an offer they like, so ESPN put together this fake trade.
Jimmy Butler heads to Sacramento
Sacramento Kings get: Jimmy Butler, Alec Burks
Miami Heat get: DeMar DeRozan, Tim Hardaway Jr., 2028 first-round pick (top-four protected, via SAC)
Detroit Pistons get: Kevin Huerter, Trey Lyles, 2029 first-round pick swap option (via SAC)
It’s a hail marry for the Kings, who are trying to maximize this roster and potentially keep star guard De’Aaron Fox in Sacramento. Butler would, in theory, raise their postseason ceiling in a way Fox and Domantas Sobonis have not over these past three seasons.
Here’s what ESPN’s Kevin Pelton says of Miami’s perspective:
DeRozan would be an ideal Butler replacement because of his combination of production and contract. At $23.4 million this season, DeRozan is making nearly $30 million less than Butler. The Heat could get within striking distance of avoiding the luxury tax by making this trade and still have the ability to use their exceptions this summer when Hardaway's contract comes off the books.
It’s nothing to get excited about, but this marks a solid return for Butler. DeRozan is an imperfect player, but he is a bucket-getter, having averaged at least 20 points per game in each of his last 12 seasons. His contract for $24.7 million and $25.7 million over the next two seasons isn’t an albatross (although the Heat would likely try to move off the final year and preserve 2026 cap space).
The key here is adding DeRozan and still avoiding the luxury tax and unlocking access to the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, valued at nearly $14 million. That would allow the Heat to add another impact player to the rotation and they revamp the roster around Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro.
The Heat reportedly don’t like any of the offers that have come their way, but if something like this is on the table, it’s worth a meeting.