The drama surrounding the Miami Heat and star forward Jimmy Butler has taken the league by storm. After Butler essentially requested a trade from the Heat, Miami decided to suspend him while they sort out trade offers.
Butler will want to go to a contending team but the Heat doesn't have to listen by that thought process. However, in the NBA, stars tend to have more power than people realize and it's never a good idea to not listen when they want something.
With Butler now requesting a trade, where could he go? Here are the five more logical trade destinations for the embattled Heat star.
Golden State Warriors
The Warriors have long been the rumored landing spot for Butler should Miami move him. Butler could fit in nicely alongside Steph Curry and Draymond Green, helping to extend their title window.
But whether the Warriors would be willing to move forward Jonathan Kuminga remains to be seen. Miami would need him back to make a deal happen and the Warriors seem to really like the young star.
Los Angeles Lakers
This seems like an unlikely trade spot but the Lakers can never be counted out when it comes to star players. Adding Butler to play alongside Anthony Davis and LeBron James would be exactly what the Lakers have been searching for.
Los Angeles could offer Rui Hachimura, Gave Vincent, Jarred Vanderbilt, Max Christie, and some draft capital to make the deal work. This could be an enticing offer for the Heat, especially given the circumstances surrounding this matter.
Los Angeles Clippers
For the Clippers to land Butler, they would basically need to gut the entire team. Like the Lakers, Butler's $48 million salary makes things a little tricky.
Los Angeles would need to part with forward Norman Powell, Terance Mann, P.J. Tucker, and another player in the $3 million range. They could also move center Ivica Zubac but they likely would want to keep him.
Miami may not want these players and the Clippers don't have a ton of draft capital to use. But they remain an option due to their location.
Houston Rockets
Like the Warriors, Houston has been mentioned in potential Butler rumors. The Rockets have seemed to take another step forward in terms of contention and adding someone like Butler could round it all out.
Houston has plenty of young talent that could entice the Heat and they have the draft capital as well. But so far, the Rockets haven't shown a willingness to break their young core up, putting a deal or Butler more on the sidelines.
Brooklyn Nets
This may be the hardest to sell Butler but there are rumors of his interest in going to Brooklyn when he becomes a free agent. The Nets could drastically change the way they are viewed in the Eastern Conference by landing Butler.
While the Nets have been thought of as a seller at the deadline, bringing in Butler could make things interesting. This seems unlikely but could be an interesting landing spot nonetheless.
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