A four-team blockbuster deal is very rare, and we hardly see an instance where this occurs whereby a team or two teams doesn’t get the short end of the stick. Rather, there is always a major winner while the rest have to accept their takings. This is especially the case when looking at superstar players moving teams because it is always hard to replace a top player.
However, there could be a case in the NBA right now whereby four teams make massive changes to their rosters and actually improve across the board. The star players involved in this four-team blockbuster deal are Jimmy Butler of the Miami Heat, Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks, and Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors. Critical role players, including John Collins and Rui Hachimura, will also be involved in this deal, along with a first-round pick heading out of Miami.
Here is a massive four-team trade that sees Butler and Young switch teams while both the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers make reinforcements to beef up their depth.
Trade Details
Miami Heat Receive: Trae Young
Atlanta Hawks Receive: Jimmy Butler, Rui Hachimura, 2023 First-Round Pick from Miami Heat
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Draymond Green
Golden State Warriors Receive: John Collins
This massive blockbuster four-team trade actually changes the NBA landscape going forward and benefits each team involved. It is time to delve deeper as to how this deal affects the Maimi Heat, Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Lakers, and Golden State Warriors next season and going forward. Here is the breakdown of a massive deal that could realistically happen as soon as the summer of 2023.
Miami Adds More Offense To Their Team
Miami Heat Recieve: Trae Young
Miami Heat Send: Jimmy Butler, 2023 First-Round Pick
The Miami Heat needed more offense this season since they struggled to score, ranking 25th in offensive rating and 30th in PPG. Despite having Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Tyler Herro posting over 20 PPG each, the Heat were over-reliant on three players to generate the points. The rest of the roster is built with role players who need the stars to create for them, meaning the team was extremely too heavy.
Butler and Adebayo are more defensive-minded players than they are effective on offense, which put even more pressure on 23-year-old Tyler Herro. The team’s identity on the defensive end is set as Miami ranked 2nd in OPPG this season. The best way for the Heat to return to contention next year will be to add a superstar offensive player at the expense of Jimmy Butler. Trae Young is the team’s answer at the guard position because he can create for the team’s shooters and supporting cast.
Young posted 26.2 PPG and 10.2 APG this season, and if given Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo, the guard will be able to have more success than he had in Atlanta. Young is only 24 years old, so he fits the long-term strategy of the Heat, who have Herro (23) and Adebayo (25). By adding a superstar on offense and letting Bam spearhead the defense, the Heat can become a very dominant two-way team next year.
Atlanta Hawks Re-Tool With A New Superstar
Atlanta Hawks Receive: Jimmy Butler, Rui Hachimura, 2023 First-Round Pick from Miami Heat
Atlanta Hawks Send: Trae Young, John Collins
The Atlanta Hawks are down 2-0 in the first round of the NBA Playoffs to the heavily favored Boston Celtics. Atlanta ranked 26th in OPPG and 22nd in defensive rating, meaning they did not have enough leadership on defense. As great as Trae Young was, he is not a terrific defender by any means, and the best way for the Hawks to return to legitimacy is to add a superstar defensive player.
In a swap to give Miami offense and Atalanta defense, the Hawks can give the point guard reins to Dejounte Murray while also giving him Jimmy Butler, who is a dominant defensive player that turns it up massively in the playoffs. Murray is a capable point guard, averaging 6.1 APG this season, so he can be the focal point of the offense while the likes of De’Andre Hunter continue their development.
At the same time, the Hawks replace the highly-paid and underperforming John Collins with a tough forward in Rui Hachimura. The Japanese-born Lakers forward is having a terrific season since he is only 25 years old, posting 11.2 PPG and 4.5 RPG this season and also posting 24.5 PPG through two games with the Los Angeles Lakers in the playoffs so far. A new lineup of Murray, Butler, Hunter, Hachimura, and Adebayo is better on defense and will be the team to finish top-4 in the East next year.
Los Angeles Add A Championship Veteran
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Draymond Green
Los Angeles Lakers Send: Rui Hachimura
The Los Angeles Lakers barely made the playoffs thanks to the play-in victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and even if they had the best record in the NBA following the trade deadline, the team has holes to fill. The Lakers have LeBron James and Anthony Davis, who are two of the game’s greatest players in the game, but they need reinforcements in terms of defense and championship experience.
The answer to their problems is Draymond Green, a terrific playmaker and defender who will boost what the Lakers do in terms of competing for championships. James is turning 39 years old next year, and the time to win is right now, meaning Draymond can provide defense alongside him. Losing 25-year-old Rui Hachimura isn’t ideal, but necessary to give LeBron James a chance to win at least one more title.
Green replaces Hachimura in the lineup and will become a full-time starter alongside Anthony Davis down low. The starting lineup becomes D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, LeBron James, Draymond Green, and Anthony Davis, with Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt coming off the bench. Los Angeles has been rumored to be in the mix for Draymond Green all season, and it could finally come true.
Warriors Get Younger And More Athletic
Golden State Warriors Receive: John Collins
Golden State Warriors Send: Draymond Green
John Collins is a very nice player who is still only 25 years old and only improving on both ends of the court. He has a soft touch on the inside and can be a go-to scorer when needed, along with strong ability on the boards. Posting 13.1 PPG and 6.5 RPG averages at 25 years old is a very nice asset for almost every team, and the Hawks could cash in on him this summer and send him to Golden State if it means bringing back Jimmy Butler, Rui Hachimura, and a first-round pick.
The Golden State Warriors could use Collins’ paint presence and ability to run the floor because he is a far better offensive threat than Draymond and also brings youth and energy to a team that is dealing with a 35-year-old Stephen Curry and 33-year-old Klay Thompson. The Warriors need to get more athletic and younger, and Collins gives the team a strong option to spearhead a new era in Golden State.
Perhaps more specifically, the Warriors need a more varied offense, and a package centered around Draymond Green could be a potential one on the table. At 6’9” and 235 lbs, the forward provides size and versatility and will be a useful member of a new era going forward and in the present as well.
A Blockbuster 4-Team Trade That Benefits All Teams
In this rare case, each team involved in the four-team trade improved dramatically. The Miami Heat finally have an offensive star that can start elevating his game even more in Trae Young, and the point guard will benefit from playing for a no-nonsense organization that is bolstered by winners and defensive-minded stars, including Bam Adebayo.
The Atlanta Hawks also move on from Trae Young and the fact that the point guard’s attitude isn’t necessarily accepted in the locker room is a big deal. Bringing in Jimmy Butler can improve Dejounte Murray’s growth while adding a legitimate two-way superstar. The Hawks can form an identity for the first time since their Joe Johnson and Josh Smith days, except this team will be deeper and more defensively sound.
The Los Angeles Lakers also finally acquire their target Draymond Green to bolster their frontcourt and improve their defense. A lineup with LeBron James and Anthony Davis with Green inside means this team has three veterans with championship experience to compete alongside youngsters Austin Reaves, D’Angelo Russell, and Jarred Vanderbilt. The Lakers improve at the power forward spot in terms of playmaking and defense with this deal.
Finally, Golden State moves on from the Draymond Green era and brings youth and athleticism to the roster, with John Collins, a far better spot-up shooter than the veteran. Collins is shooting 35.6% from deep, so he will improve as a shooter for Golden State because the team can field four shooters at a time at a bare minimum.
No doubt, this four-team trade benefits all teams in the areas they each need most. It isn’t the case whereby each team wins in a multi-player trade that involves more than two teams, but this is one that can change the NBA landscape by a wide margin. The Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks will be winners by changing their failed experiments, while the Lakers add a championship player to help LeBron and Davis win games. Finally, Golden State adds a terrific offensive power forward who fits well alongside Stephen Curry in the offense.
