Heat's division rival could be a logical destination for Jimmy Butler

A new NBA season is approaching, which means the Miami Heat will need to start getting serious about the Jimmy Butler situation. The story of the summer for the Heat has been Butler and his contract situation. The two sides have not yet agreed on an extension, and could have the chance to test free agency next summer.

That makes things complicated. Naturally, Butler’s name has been thrown around in many different trade rumors. Most recently, Bleacher Report wondered if the Heat should trade Butler to the Atlanta Hawks.

Would either team go for it? Let’s discuss further.

Why the Hawks do it

Ever since their run to the Eastern Conference finals in 2021, the Hawks have been mediocre at best. They have been a first-round exit or worse in each of the last three seasons, ranking towards the bottom of playoff teams.

The Hawks are missing someone who would fit well next to Trae Young and propel the Hawks to the top of the Eastern Conference. That player could be Jimmy Butler.

Over the last few seasons, Butler has proven to be an elite playoff performer. That would help take some of the scoring load off of Trae Young. Butler’s presence could also help clear up Young’s usage rate. Butler is a reliable playmaker, which should allow Young to flourish playing off the ball.

On top of that, Butler would add defensive tenacity to the Hawks. Butler has been one of the top steals leaders in the NBA. He is one of the best off-ball defenders in the league, but also puts pressure on the ball. Compared to the Hawks last year, Butler would be a huge upgrade over Dejounte Murray, who was traded this offseason.

Why the Heat do it

There are two things that need to happen for Miami to make this trade. First, the Butler situation needs to escalate to the point where the Heat know that he won’t re-sign. At this point in time, the Heat seem content with running it back for another playoff run, but that could change over the next few months.

Next, the Heat need to receive at least one of Jalen Johnson or Zaccharie Risacher. These players have the highest ceiling out of any player on the Hawks not named Trae Young. If the Heat are going to trade away their best player, they need to receive something valuable in return. Otherwise, they should hang up.

In addition to receiving a good player, the Heat will need picks. The Hawks do not have control of their upcoming first-round picks, but they did just receive a few first-round picks from the Pelicans in the Dejounte Murray trade. The Heat are not typically a rebuild team, but these picks could be flipped elsewhere.

Other players that could intrigue Miami include Bogdan Bogdanovic and Onyeka Okongwu. Realistically, the Heat would get worse in any Jimmy Butler trade, but they can at least lay some foundational pieces with good players and draft picks.

The Miami Heat will hold media day on September 30. We should get more answers about Jimmy Butler then.