The Miami Heat and Jimmy Butler are headed for a divorce with Butler officially requesting a trade and Pat Riley publicly shooting that request down. The 35-year-old forward will see the season out in Miami before a potential trade or free agency in the offseason. Both parties can maximize this year for a championship push if the Heat can acquire the right pieces who can help them now as well as build for the future.
The Utah Jazz are set to be the tankers in the West this season, with the franchise having a 7-22 record so far. They have veteran players who could fetch good value, and the Heat might be willing to part with something big to ensure they land rotational upgrades to better equip the Heat for a title run. If the Jazz and the Heat link up, Miami can emerge as a genuine challenger in the East.
Trade Details
Miami Heat Receive: Collin Sexton, John Collins, Patty Mills
Utah Jazz Receive: Terry Rozier, Duncan Robinson, Kel’el Ware, 2029 First-Round Pick (MIA)
This deal enables the Heat to land two highly productive players in their 20s who they can retain to remain competitive next season if Butler leaves. For this season, they both would be major upgrades to a thin Miami roster that’s overly dependent on Tyler Herro for offensive production. The Jazz wrestle a potentially valuable first-round pick and the future upside of 2025 first-round selection Kel’el Ware.
The Heat Load Up For A Title Run
If the Heat refuse to move Butler midseason, there’s no point in them just playing the season out and waiting for his inevitable departure. Even if the parties can’t agree on a future, it greatly benefits them both to make a real run in the Playoffs, as it helps Butler increase his value for free agency and justifies the Heat’s current era of contention continuing with a re-tooled roster led by Herro and Adebayo.
Collin Sexton is averaging 17.2 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.7 assists this season, proving to be an exciting offensive complement to Tyler Herro in the backcourt. Sexton can better complement Herro’s play-style having shown defensive improvements over the last two seasons while also being better off-ball.
John Collins is averaging 17.7 points and 8.2 rebounds this season, having a comeback season after a few years where his trade value was negligible. With two years on his contract, Collins could be a dynamic big-man addition to the Heat as a vertical threat and someone who can shoot the ball. He’d be the perfect partner for Bam Adebayo in the front-court, making up for the offensive deficiencies the Heat have right now.
Landing two proven contributors will be major for the Heat, as they have an opportunity to return to the Finals with Butler for the third time. Hopefully, this time it will lead to a better outcome.
The Jazz Continue Consolidating Assets
The Jazz have had a pretty rotten start to the season which has decidedly put them in the bottom reaches of the Western Conference. The team is already looking ahead to what the 2025 NBA Draft brings for them, but they might still be too good to outpace teams like the Washington Wizards, Charlotte Hornets, Toronto Raptors, and New Orleans Pelicans. This deal forces more inexperienced players on the court while cashing in veterans for assets.
Duncan Robinson is averaging 11.0 points this season, proving to retain value in future trades due to his uncanny shooting ability. He might not get moved this season but could be a good locker-room presence to improve the shooting ability of youngsters like Brice Sensabaugh.
Terry Rozier is averaging 12.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists this season and can be a valuable veteran guard for the Jazz. Not only can he be a solid mentor for a player like Keyonte George, but he’d also be a major trade candidate for other contenders due to his affordable contract and streaky offensive nature.
The main get would be Kel’el Ware, who was the Heat’s first-round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. While he’s raw, he has the potential to be a two-way multi-positional big who can impact the game on multiple levels. The Jazz would look forward to developing this prospect into a high-quality player for the future.
Maximize Contention With Jimmy Butler
If you’re keeping Jimmy Butler on the roster, might as well make a title push while he’s still on the team. Butler has proven his value as a Playoff leader, and he would still be incentivized to compete at the highest level to ensure his market value remains high. With the rotational pieces this deal adds, the Heat will have enough to compete with any team in the NBA, provided Butler delivers himself too.
If Butler leaves in the summer after this deal anyway, the Heat will have a solid competitive base to build off of. Sexton and Collins will be in the final year of their contracts, making them easier to deal with if required or allowing Miami the flexibility to decide on their roster a year later as well.
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