5 most intriguing Jimmy Butler trade destinations, regardless of salary or likelihood

The Miami Heat and Jimmy Butler are trending toward a breakup.

The six-time All-Star is in the final year of his contract and there was no progress on an extension during the offseason. Now, Butler is sending cryptic signals to the media. When asked what his future in the NBA holds — and where he might play — the longtime 'Heat Culture' ambassador added fuel to the rumor mill's fire.

"Who knows?"

Butler pretty clearly wants, in his heart of hearts, to spend his remaining NBA years enjoying the luxuries of Miami's sun-soaked shores and local domino tournaments. That said, Butler also wants to be wanted, the same as any player. The Heat are "open to listening to offers," per ESPN's Shams Charania. There is even a list of destinations Butler would approve of, in theory.

The NBA's new collective bargaining agreement complicates any superstar trade. Butler is due $48.8 million this season with a player option for $52.4 million in 2025-26, which he is may or may not pick up. The Heat don't want to lose Butler for nothing in free agency and could view this as an important inflection point. Butler, 35, only has so much left in the tank. Perhaps it's time to build around Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro.

Let's put money and "realism" to the side for a moment, though, and discern the best Butler destinations by pure intrigue or entertainment value. Here are landing spots may or may not be possible, but sure would be interesting.

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5. Jimmy Butler and Nikola Jokic could make magic for the Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets feel extremely volatile for a team with the runaway MVP favorite. Nikola Jokic is on track for his fourth MVP award, but the supporting cast around him just isn't up to snuff. The Nuggets front office has let key pieces walk in back-to-back offseasons, while the ongoing absence of Aaron Gordon leaves an irreparable void in the frontcourt.

It's time to do something to build up the roster around Jokic. He's the best player in the world and a champion — any other front office would move mountains to maximize this finitie title window. Butler is available, and Denver might actually have enough to get it done. This would not align with Denver's general team-building strategy, but we are operating strictly in the realm of theory right now. Let a man dream.

Butler and Jokic is a fascinating duo to build the offense around. We haven't seen Jokic next to a genuine star wing; nor have we see Butler with a big man quite this skilled. The two-man actions would be poetry in motion. Jokic's skill set is such that Butler can move into a less ball-dominant role, perhaps scoring more off of cuts and spot-ups, rather than grinding his well-tread knees into the ground.

Assuming Denver can keep Jamal Murray in this trade (and Murray can get back to 90 percent of his peak form), the Nuggets would have the scariest 'big three' in the West. Butler still defends and does a lot of the dirty work other stars won't. He's sure to vibe with Jokic. This would work really well.

4. Jimmy Butler on the Suns is an interesting thought experiment

The Phoenix Suns are on Butler's reported wishlist, but his agent disputes that claim and, frankly, there's no real pathway to a trade here. It would have to center on Bradley Beal, who has a no-trade clause and a bad, expensive contract. The Heat aren't going to swap out their aging star for a worse, more expensive aging star.

That said, the hypothetical fit between Butler, Kevin Durant, and Devin Booker is worth a stray thought. It's a fun combination on paper, with Butler settling into a synergistic and scalable 'third star' role. He can run point, attack off the catch on the weak side, or operating as a connector in pick-and-roll actions. Butler spends a lot of time on-ball for Miami, but there's more there, especially if he's willing to adapt and scale back with age.

Durant and Booker would probably appreciate Butler's knack for rim pressure and advantage creation on the wing. Beal is still a useful tertiary scorer, don't get me wrong, but Butler brings a more dynamic on-ball skill set at this point. He is also 6-foot-7 with a strong defensive reputation. Size and physicality is something the Suns need more of. Butler would handle tough assignments on D and generate turnovers, which Phoenix can turn into transition offense.

As his role decreases, the hope is that Butler can dedicate more of his energy to defense. We have seen Butler coast at times in the regular season due to his outsized responsibilities. With Phoenix, Butler should be able to better concentrate his effort on the little things.

3. Jimmy Butler returning to the Timberwolves is just poetic

Jimmy Butler famously tortured Karl-Anthony Towns in practice and threw public jabs at the Minnesota Timberwolves organization until he was finally able to force a trade. That was all the way back in 2018.

Fast forward to 2024 and KAT is no longer in a Wolves uniform. Minnesota traded him and, well, it has been tough sledding. This group just doesn't have the same heart as last season's Wolves team. The connectedness and effort has lagged behind, leaving Minnesota on the periphery of the West postseason picture. Chris Finch is a great coach. Anthony Edwards is the future face of American basketball. But, the Wolves need an extra boost. Some edge.

Butler can provide the fiery competitive spirit and veteran leadership this Wolves team lacks. I'm not thrilled by the possibilities of Butler and Rudy Gobert in the same locker room, but so be it. The defensive upside is tremendous. As for offense, this Wolves team desperately lacks another viable self-creator next to Edwards. Butler can provide just that, better optimizing Edwards and the entire Wolves supporting cast in the process.

His slashing, playmaking, and two-way competence on the wing would dramatically change Minnesota's competitive DNA. Maybe he's too old, but for at least a season or two, Butler would put the Wolves back on the map.

2. Jimmy Butler's BFF is Joel Embiid, and a 76ers reunion feels almost overdue

There was a point last offseason when folks thought Jimmy Butler might end up back with the Philadelphia 76ers. In the end, the Heat decided to keep their All-NBA wing and the Sixers pivoted to Paul George. There is no timeline in which Philly swaps George for Butler in a trade, so we can realistically rule this out.

It sure would rock, though. Butler is something of a cult figure in Philadelphia. His persona is perfectly aligned with the city's blue-collar fandom. He competes hard on defense and he's a no-nonsense leader. We haven't seen another star connect with Joel Embiid and hold him accountable quite like Butler did during their brief partnership. With speculation about Embiid's motivation back in the news cycle, what better path forward than a Butler reunion? Embiid would celebrate it, and Butler is the perfect co-star to bring the most out of Philadelphia's MVP big man.

The on-court fit remains strong. Butler and Embiid feasted in pick-and-rolls together, especially once the postseason arrived and Butler was handed the keys to the offense. Now the Sixers have Tyrese Maxey, the perfect tertiary star to connect dots and score a bunch of points while defenses focus on stopping the Embiid-Butler actions.

George is probably the cleaner fit on paper, and Butler's own age and injury history are just as concerning as what George brings to the table. Even so, the narrative around this reunion — the idea of Butler and Embiid sticking it to Bryan Colangelo — is too strong to ignore.

1. Jimmy Butler on the Warriors actually makes a lot of sense

The Golden State Warriors are on Butler's reported wishlist and there isn't a more logical fit out there. Not only does Butler fit on the court, but Golden State has the motivation to add another star and enough trade capital to get a deal across the finish line. The Warriors spent all summer trying to add a big-time wing next to Stephen Curry. Butler presents them with an oppportunity to finally land the plane.

It's always nice when realism and idealism align. The Warriors are, like, actually a great spot for Butler. We have seen Steph next to another star wing — perhaps the best star wing in Kevin Durant — but we've never seen a star in Butler's archetype settle into Steve Kerr's scheme. He's not an elite shooter, which could complicate the fit with Draymond Green, but Butler's pick-and-roll creation and mid-range shot-making would add a fascinating new wrinkle to Golden State's offense.

Age is a concern, but Golden State's goal should be maximizing Curry's remaining years. In that sense, Butler aligns quite nicely with their timeline. He only has a few more years left in the tank, but hey, so does this iteration of the Warriors roster.