After suspending All-Star forward Jimmy Butler indefinitely, the writing is on the wall: the Miami Heat no longer want to continue their partnership.
Heat’s Asking Price For Jimmy Butler Trade
Butler and the Heat’s inevitable split has been held up by the complexities of making trades under the new CBA. The Heat’s demands also limit their options. Indeed, they’re “determined not to take back sizable contracts that run past next season,” according to Miami Herald insiders Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang.
“If the Heat takes back players whose contracts run beyond this season, Miami wants to be compensated with a draft pick or two,” Jackson and Chiang add. “The Heat also wants players back who can help them make the playoffs this season — if the Heat doesn’t make the playoffs this season, the lottery protections would be removed on first-round picks due to the Oklahoma City Thunder and Charlotte Hornets.”
The Bradley Beal Question
With those stipulations, it’s easy to see how finalizing a trade has been difficult, especially if it involves Phoenix. The Heat are unwilling to accept Suns guard Bradley Beal‘s contract. As a result, he has to be re-routed to another team if he’s included in the deal. So far, the Milwaukee Bucks and Chicago Bulls have been mentioned as options. However, it’s unclear how motivated either franchise is to acquire the three-time All-Star.
If Beal landed with the Bucks, they would have to move Khris Middleton and Bobby Portis. Should he waive his no-trade clause for the Bulls, Zach LaVine could make his way to Milwaukee or Miami.
What’s more, the Detroit Pistons, Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards, and Toronto Raptors are willing to help facilitate a deal, per NBA insider Marc Stein. With that in mind, Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma is known to be available, as is Raptors guard-forward Bruce Brown. Toronto has also put Chris Boucher and Kelly Olynyk, the latter of whom has played for the Heat, on the trade block.
Would He Play For An Upstart Team?
With regard to Detroit and Charlotte, the situation is a bit murkier.
The Pistons are the only team that currently has cap space ($14 million). After emerging as a playoff contender, they might be willing to take back Beal’s contract, especially if there’s draft compensation. Given that Tim Hardaway Jr. will earn $16.2 million this season and Tobias Harris is making $25.4 million, these are the only two players they need to put in the trade package. It’s worth noting that Hardaway Jr.’s father played for Miami and is still still fond of them.
The Hornets may very well attempt to trade for Beal too though.
His maturity and leadership would be transformative for Charlotte’s locker room. His offensive abilities would alleviate a lot of pressure that LaMelo Ball faces, helping the young floor general conserve energy. Not only might that help him play with more consistency at the defensive end, he might stay healthier too. With his gravity and playmaking, Beal should also make the game easier for Miller.
Whether the Hornets are good enough for him to waive his no-trade clause is a good question. However, if he does, then Miles Bridges, Josh Okogie, Vasilije Micic, and Cody Martin could all be in Miami soon.
