After losing in the second round of the NBA playoffs this year, the Cleveland Cavaliers have big ambitions to raise their ceiling. According to NBA insider Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, one potential move is the pursuit of 6x NBA All-Star, Jimmy Butler.
“One team that if they (Miami) were willing to trade Jimmy — I don’t know if they are — the one team I would pay attention to is the Cleveland Cavaliers. Because Rich Paul said if you give Donovan Mitchell an extension, then you know they probably want to get Darius Garland out of there.”
The situation with the Cavaliers is complicated at the moment. With four All-Star level players on the roster, they had higher expectations than to finish 4th in the East this season. But after getting easily handled by the Boston Celtics in the East-Semis, talks about a potential trade began to heat up.
Specifically, the Cavaliers are expected to break up their backcourt with one of Mitchell or Garland likely on the way out. In the case of Mitchell, 27, teams like the Knicks and Lakers would seemingly be the most aggressive.
For Garland, we know that the Spurs have expressed heavy interest in the 6’1″ point guard but the Heat could make sense as an older team in desperate need of a re-tool. If they offer Jimmy Butler in the deal, it could completely reshuffle the hierarchy in the East, with the Cavaliers potentially somewhere near the top.
Butler, a 6x All-Star, averaged 20.8 points per game for the Heat this season, and his talents as a defender, shotmaker, and locker-room leader make him an ideal fit for the Cavaliers. In truth, I’m not sure Butler is even available right now but he’s one of the top targets for the Cavs and various other teams this offseason.
Other Teams Could Join The Butler Sweepstakes
Jimmy, 34, is widely considered one of the best two-way wing players in the game. As a proven clutch player and a leader in the locker room, he has the type of impact that can make or break a contending team.
While he has been nothing but outwardly loyal to the Heat, rumors are growing that he may not be there for much longer and the Cavaliers are far from the only team that would get involved if he was made available.
“New Orleans, the Pelicans,” wrote Pompey on more landing spots for Butler. “You know how the Pelicans are sort of shopping Brandon Ingram, right? You look at Chicago, they have a guy like Zach LaVine, but I don’t know if that’s a route Miami would want to go, but those teams at least have immediate help.”
The Pelicans are a very young team and they could certainly use the guidance of a veteran like Butler. The same could be said of the Bulls, Jimmy’s former team, who desperately need some leadership and stability on the roster.
It remains to be seen what happens in Miami, but the decisions made there could have major implications for the rest of the East. Whether Butler is available or not, the Cavaliers are one team that needs to make a move and it may not take much for them to find the one piece that puts them over the top.
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