The Miami Heat have made some headlines this week due to trade rumors, but according to a report, if the Heat are going to make any sort of deal, they’re going to do it with an eye on multiple factors.
“Any trade that the Heat do, involving Jimmy Butler or otherwise, is going to have one eye on the present and the other on the future — and specifically, their finances, sources said,” wrote ESPN’s Tim Bontemps.
“Miami, like just about every team, is focused on the new financial realities of life under the current collective bargaining agreement — in terms of both the repeater tax and the hefty price it will hit teams with, as well as the draconian team-building penalties that come with venturing north of the second luxury tax apron.
“The Heat are into the tax for a second straight season — meaning they have to get out of the tax one of the next two years in order to avoid the much stiffer repeater tax penalties that will kick in as part of the CBA, which was designed to try to keep teams from being heavy spenders for a lengthy period of time without suffering consequences for doing so. And every team is hyperfocused on the ramifications of going into the second apron and the future impact it has on draft picks, in particular.
“Throughout the tenure of Pat Riley and general manager Andy Elisburg in Miami, the Heat have valued flexibility. As they look at ways to potentially remake their roster in the coming months, expect that to be at the forefront of their minds — from both talent and financial perspectives.”
The reality check from Bontemps may remind fans that the Heat aren’t just going to make any deal that looks good on paper, as there are always multiple elements to consider.
Still, it seems like this could be a memorable trade season for Miami, particularly if Butler is on the move.
The veteran has been the face of the Heat for several seasons, especially after helping the franchise reach the NBA Finals in 2020 and 2023. This era of Heat basketball has featured some unexpected playoff runs and championship pushes, and Butler has been heavily involved.
But with the six-time All-Star getting older and likely hitting free agency this offseason, Miami may need to pick a direction, even if there isn’t a ton of concern about another team signing Butler in the offseason. The bottom line is that the Heat need to decide if they want to continue trying to build a winner around an aging player with an unknown future.
This season, Butler is averaging 18.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game on 55.0 percent shooting from the field and 36.0 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
As solid as those numbers are, Butler seemingly always turns into a different player in the postseason, something the Heat would have to consider before parting ways with him. Butler may be merely a decent regular-season scorer, but in each of his last two trips to the playoffs, he averaged 27.4 points per game (2022) and 26.9 points per game (2023).
Of course, a Butler trade isn’t the only scenario the Heat are going to consider leading up to the deadline. In fact, if they decide to keep him, they may look to add pieces rather than unload.
But like Bontemps mentioned, Miami is going to be calculated with its approach, so fans may want to avoid cooking up any wild scenarios of trades that they’d like to see.