NEWSLETTER
Will Jimmy Butler be the first big domino to drop in the NBA trade market this season? It is sure starting to feel that way as a whole bunch of rumors surrounding the former Bull have started to surface.
Let’s get into all that drama, as well as the NBA’s upcoming trip to Las Vegas this week!
NBA Notes
- It’s starting to seem like Jimmy Butler could be the first big-name traded this season, which has led to some drama surrounding Mr. Buckets and the Heat. On Wednesday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Butler’s agent Bernie Lee indicated that the Phoenix Suns were among the preferred destinations for Butler, along with the Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, and Houston Rockets. Lee wasn’t terribly thrilled with Charania’s reporting, though. He ripped the NBA Insider on X for spreading false rumors about him and his client.
- Shams Charania has since fired back and defended his reporting, saying that he stands by his story: “I 1,000 percent stand by my reporting. It’s fully vetted. And, as a professional, that’s what I do. That’s what I get paid to do. That’s what I’m going to do, report truthfully and accurately. That’s what this is. Period.”
- It’s hard to tell exactly what happened here. I would bet that Bernie Lee was having confidential conversations with some teams about Butler, one of the teams leaked it, and a story that they didn’t want to get out has now gotten out. That’s my line of thinking since Jimmy Butler trade talk hasn’t necessarily been nonexistent over the last few months. After the Heat exited from the playoffs early last year, rumors started to swirl that Pat Riley was considering a shakeup and that could include moving on from the 35-year-old forward. Had this story come out of the blue, I’d have an easier time believing Lee’s side of the story. However, since this isn’t exactly the most shocking rumor, I’d have to think that Jimmy Butler’s name has been floated around quite a bit.
- As for the teams Shams reported on, it feels like Golden State might be the most logical and likely fit. The Warriors have been adamant about wanting to add a star alongside Steph Curry to try and maximize his prime. Adding Butler would certainly accomplish that. The Warriors have the contracts to balance out a deal, as well as picks and young pieces Miami might be interested in. After missing out on Lauri Markkanen in the offseason, I don’t think they’ll want to strike out again. More on that here.
- It’s worth noting that it’s also been reported that Butler has never formally requested a trade. It doesn’t sound like he’s against being traded either, but it doesn’t appear that Jimmy Buckets is actively looking to get out of Miami. Butler is making just over $48 million this season and has a player option for just over $52 million for next year. He can either opt into that or opt-out and become a free agent. Brian Windhorst of ESPN has reported that Butler would prefer to sign an extension in Miami, but Pat Riley hasn’t shown much interest.
- The NBA Cup has moved on to the semifinals! Last night the Rockets took down the Warriors and the Hawks beat the Knicks to stamp their trips to Las Vegas. On Tuesday night, Milwaukee got the win over Orlando and Oklahoma City was victorious over Dallas. The semifinals will be Saturday night in Las Vegas, and the finals will take place on Tuesday, December 17.
- In the Knicks and Hawks quarterfinal matchup, Trae Young embraced his inner Madison Square Garden villain. Since the playoff series in 2021, Young and the fans in The Garden have gone at each other a bit, and the latest chapter in that rivalry was won by the 26-year-old guard and the Atlanta Hawks. As time was winding down. Young pretended to roll dice on the Knicks logo at center court, signifying that they were moving on to Vegas. As someone with no dog in that fight, that whole rivalry is a lot of fun to watch!
- Toronto received some bad news regarding their star forward Scottie Barnes. Barnes landed awkwardly on Karl-Anthony Towns’ foot on Monday night against the Knicks and suffered a sprained right ankle. Shams Charania reported that the 23-year-old could miss “several weeks,” which would be a tough blow to the Raptors and their season. It was unlikely that Toronto was headed to the postseason this year anyway (they’re just 7-18 thus far), but losing Barnes for an extended period probably seals that fate.
- LeBron James missed Sunday’s game with foot soreness, and it’s expected he’ll miss the Lakers next contest on Friday night against the Timberwolves. According to ESPN, this latest injury feels like more of an opportunity to get LeBron some extended time off as opposed to there being a serious issue with his foot. It does sound like James would then be available on Sunday against the Grizzlies, but nothing is set in stone.
