4 Youth-inspired Heat trades that signal end of Jimmy Butler era
By Brennan Sims
Thunder get: Jimmy Butler
Heat get: Josh Giddey, Ousmane Dieng, Isaiah Joe, Rockets 2024 1st round draft pick, 76ers 2025 1st round draft pick, Mavericks 2028 1st round draft pick
The teams inquiring about Butler and willing to give him an extension must be on the brink of contention. It doesn't make sense for a young rebuilding team to acquire a "win now" player like Butler. The Oklahoma City Thunder are young but don't fit the rebuilding bill. They're one piece away from seriously contending in the West.
Butler is not the perfect fit next to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but he'd relieve pressure from Shai and wouldn't be the main scorer. That's the best option for his career now if he's going for the Larry O'Brien.
The Heat get a plethora of young talent from the Thunder and could turn some of them into gold. Josh Giddey can't shoot or score currently, but he has other strong attributes. Giddy is a wizard passer, and we'd be banking on his shot coming around eventually. He shot 37% on 3.8 three-point attempts from the end of January to the end of March.
Ousmane Dieng is so raw but has natural talent. He was a do-it-all wing coming into the 2022 draft. Shooting is also his swing skill. Isaiah Joe is a sharpshooter who would balance the floor for this in-the-mud Heat offense. This trade would signify a complete rebuild, and I'm okay with that. It would give the Heat a definitive direction.