5 Way-too-early trade deadline targets if the Heat stumble out of the gate

4. Jalen Green

What if instead of becoming buyers at the trade deadline, the Heat went the other way and decided to sell off parts and retool for the future?

Butler’s shaky future in Miami is well-established. If the Heat are well under .500 come January, it would make sense to at least explore what they could get for Butler on the trade market.

A team like the Houston Rockets, reportedly desperate to make the climb into the playoffs this season, could make sense as a destination. As constructed, the Rockets might be dealing with a too-many-young-guys problem: Jalen Green, Reed Sheppard, Jabari Smith Jr., Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, Tari Eason and Cam Whitmore all have to play. That’s seven youngsters fighting for minutes around established vets Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, Steven Adams, Aaron Holiday and Jock Landale.

The Rockets will have a few months to sort things out, then they could deal whoever they don’t view as a long-term piece in a consolidation trade. 

Butler makes a lot of sense for the Rockets. He’s a proven winner who plays a position of need and will jibe with coach Ime Udoka’s win-now ethos.

Acquiring Green would be a gamble by the Heat. The 22-year-old is an electric scorer but hasn’t proven he can win at a high level. In fact, he tends to do his best work when his top teammates are off the floor. But his talent is undeniable and, at best, he could grow into the co-star the Heat need next to Adebayo going forward. If anyone can bring the best out of Green, it’s the Heat staff.