3. Cleveland Cavaliers
Trade proposal:
Cavaliers receive: Jimmy Butler
Heat receive: Jarrett Allen and Darius Garland
If Butler were to be traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, he would be the oldest player on the team next to the second-oldest player, sharpshooting forward Georges Niang, who will turn 31 at the beginning of the next season. The only other Cleveland player in his 30s next season will be Caris LeVert. Everyone else on the Cavs roster will be under 30, and given that Niang and LeVert are role players, it’s more convenient to integrate them into Cleveland’s current timeline. Butler isn’t a role player; both he and Donovan Mitchell are stars.
If the Cavs were to acquire Butler and immediately sign him to an extension through the 2026-27 season, the team would undergo a massive shift. This shift could recreate a situation similar to what Butler is currently dealing with in Miami, where the Cavaliers are forced to continue tearing down what they’ve built to accommodate the duo of Butler and Mitchell. Cleveland would likely have to give up both Jarrett Allen and Darius Garland to acquire Butler. On paper, bringing in Butler to Cleveland fits perfectly. Unfortunately, age, cost and everything in between muddies that vision.