3 Jimmy Butler emergency trades thanks to Heat point of no return

The Miami Heat and Jimmy Butler have officially filed for divorce. Now it's all formality.

How long these "formalities" take, of course, is yet to be determined. Butler is set to return from a seven-game suspension on Friday. He has committed to playing for as long as he's in a Heat uniform, although he'd strongly prefer to wear different threads and live in a different city.

The Heat All-Star met with Pat Riley face-to-face on Tuesday to reaffirm his trade request.

Butler can pick up a $52 million player option for next season, otherwise his contract is expiring. According to ESPN's report, if Butler does pick up his option, it would only be to facilitate a trade.

There's no denying the magnitude of Butler's accomplishments in Miami. He has put the Heat in the NBA Finals twice, once as the No. 8 seed, which is a commendable feat. After years of mounting tension, however, the two sides are ready to split. The Heat are tired of Butler's injuries and reported arrogance. Butler wishes Miami was a bit more serious about building a contender.

With the relationship in tatters and no real benefit to dragging this out — Butler's market won't get better after another 40 games of sandbagging, methinks — here are a few trades worth biting the bullet on.

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3. Jimmy Butler would sustain Kings' sudden ascent in the West

The Sacramento Kings are 7-2 since firing Mike Brown. Results are results. Doug Christie has unlocked something new in this group, which looks sharper and more connected overnight. Suddenly, the Kings are sustaining leads and executing late in games, just as they were in Brown's first campaign with the team.

Now 20-20 overall, Sacramento is ninth in the West with a clear path to postseason eligibility. One couldn't blame them for sticking with the current group and steadily building momentum, but this is a good opportunity for the Kings to operate aggressively and prove their seriousness to De'Aaron Fox, whose future appears murky at best with Sacramento toiling in the middle of the pack.

Butler is a clear upgrade over DeMar DeRozan when it comes to aging stars on the wing. There's no guarantee that Butler sticks around long term, but Sacramento probably isn't keen on paying DeRozan the rest of his contract, so what's the harm here? Giving up a first-round pick in such uncertain times hurts, but Butler, Fox, and Domantas Sabonis should be able to accomplish a lot together. If the vibes are strong and the Kings are competitive, there's no reason to believe Butler wouldn't be amenable to a new contract in the summer.

2. Jimmy Butler puts the Rockets in the West's upper echelon

Jimmy Butler grew up in Tomball, a small city in the Houston metro area. This is a homecoming and a chance to contend at the highest level. The Houston Rockets, without an established veteran star, are second in a competitive Western Conference. Ime Udoka is among the best coaches in basketball — and someone who clearly demands respect from his players. Butler is sure to vibe with Udoka's coaching style, which preaches accountability on the floor and focuses on two-way effort.

The Rockets are wisely hesitant to mortgage significant future assets on a 34-year-old on an expiring contract, but at this point, Butler's market is muted. The Heat aren't going to field a dream return. Fred VanVleet and Jabari Smith Jr. are two immediate starters, which is probably the best Miami can hope for under the circumstances. Smith, a former top-3 pick, gives the Heat a bit of upside to invest in.

Houston pays bargain-bin price for a genuine star creator on the wing, which is exactly what this team needs. Butler can elevate the halfcourt offense without sacrificing Houston's defensive integrity. Trading VanVleet also allows the Rockets to expand Amen Thompson's responsibilities and insert Reed Sheppard into the rotation, which is overdue. Houston is swimming in depth and more than equipped to succeed once Butler leaves, whether that's next summer or four years down the road.

1. Jimmy Butler and the Suns are destined for a toxic relationship

Look, the logistics of getting Jimmy Butler to the Phoenix Suns are borderline impossible, but Butler has made his wishes clear. He wants to join Kevin Durant and Devin Booker in Phoenix, where the utter lack of financial flexibility or supporting talent feels like a one-way ticket to disappointment. Frankly, Butler and the Suns deserve each other.

If Phoenix does what to sacrifice what's left of its future to land Butler, it will require finding a team to absorb Bradley Beal's remaining contract (and getting Beal to waive his no-trade clause). That effort may be futile, but the Washington Wizards should be in the market for bad contracts with draft picks attached. If Beal is going to accept a trade to a bad team, it's probably Washington. He has extreme loyalty to the Wizards organization and could relish the opportunity to retire as a Wiz, even if he's not winning games (he's not winning too much in Phoenix either, frankly).

Washington would need at least a couple second-round picks, but even then I'm skeptical of the value here. The hope is that Beal performs well in a featured role and drums up more trade interest on the back end of his contract, which — fine, why not? There's sentimental value there. Miami basically swaps Butler for short-term contracts and a couple useful role players. Not a dream return, but what else is available?

The Suns, by the grace of the basketball gods, welcome Jimmy Butler into the fold. There is not an immediate solution to what ails Phoenix, but Butler is a better player than Beal. Maybe the Suns can get to the second round or something to make this all feel worthwhile.