5 teams that could sneak in and steal Jimmy Butler from Heat

The Miami Heat are on the brink, down 0-1 to the Boston Celtics after a particularly ugly Game 1 performance. Jimmy Butler is out for at least a couple weeks after suffering an MCL injury in Miami's Play-In loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. Without their leader, this plucky Heat squad could crumble at a moment's notice.

Butler has put together five incredible seasons with the Heat. He has led Miami to the NBA Finals twice, including last season as the No. 8 seed. Butler hasn't been able to get over the hump, oftentimes because he's dragging less talented teams further than expected. Even without a championship on his resumé, however, Butler has cemented his status as one of the best clutch performers in recent NBA history.

It's difficult to imagine Butler leaving South Beach by choice. He openly enjoys the lifestyle, the scenic oceanfront properties and local domino games. He's a close friend of Dwyane Wade, in whose footsteps Butler very publicly followed when he committed to the Heat.

That said, Butler and Miami are quietly approaching a crossroads, and an early postseason exit won't help. Butler's contract expires at the end of next season, with a potential player option for the 2025-26 campaign worth $52.4 million. Both sides can start discussing an extension this summer, but as ESPN's Zach Lowe reports, very little is guaranteed.

"If Butler's out for the playoffs — and for this series for sure he is going to be out — he's getting toward his mid-30s. Extension-eligible in the off-season. He has a player-option for '25-26. This is one of the last teams in the league that could have afforded a lost playoff opportunity because the timeline on the Butler-Heat is ticking towards the end, and those extension talks — which can start this summer — those could get spicy." (The Lowe Post)

Butler has 'Heat 4 Life' tattooed on his back, probably (no he doesn't), but there's still a real chance these upcoming contract talks result in friction and maybe even a breakup. Butler is going to want a hefty paycheck after all he has done for the Heat, and rightfully so. The Heat won't want to pay mid-30s Jimmy Butler, with injuries stacking up and a 3-point shot that only shows up sporadically. And rightfully so.

Here are the teams who should be prepared to risk it all should Butler come up in trade talks over the next year or two.

5. Clippers could require more star power in the near future

The Los Angeles Clippers aren't exactly loaded with trade ammo or financial flexibility, but where there's a will, there's a way. The ideal offseason outcome for the Clips is to re-sign both Paul George and James Harden. Kawhi Leonard is already extended and the new arena opens soon. Stars drive butts to seats.

That said, PG remains unextended, as does Harden, for that matter. Anything can happen. If the Clippers' roster around Kawhi starts to fall apart, it wouldn't be terribly shocking for Steve Ballmer to pick up the phone and dial Pat Riley's number. A lot of potential concerns Los Angeles has about extending PG13 are present with Butler as well, but the postseason track records are wholly different. Jimmy can point to multiple improbable Finals runs, multiple late-game heroics, and say "I'm that dude."

It's a fun thought experiment. There is definite overlap between Butler and Leonard, but of course, it would "work" on a fundamental level. Leonard is comfortable spotting up and attacking rotating defenses off the catch. Butler offers less off-ball utility (at least in the regular season), but he's a razor-sharp processor who makes the small efforts come postseason time. He will coast in the regular season, but the Clips are used to that approach.

We should also consider market size here. Butler loves Miami for reasons that stretch beyond the salty air and golden sun. There's profit to be made in South Beach, and the bright lights of Los Angeles offer similar — if not even greater — appeal. If Butler is going to pick up and move across the country, he probably wants to stay in a warm locale with robust business opportunities.

4. Nets could use Jimmy Butler to return to relevance

The Brooklyn Nets are stuck in basketball purgatory these days, and it's unclear how much new head coach Jordi Fernandez can actually do to help. Brooklyn's front office is stuck between a rock and a hard place. Tanking won't work, because the Nets don't own their picks. But, there are only so many avenues to improve the present roster, and it's hard to imagine Mikal Bridges and Cam Thomas spearheading a postseason contender in the near future.

What the Nets want to do is hunt for stars. Bridges is on the recruitment trail and the Nets have the assets to swing a major trade after offloading Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. There's even less risk involved in a potential blockbuster trade than normal, as the picks Brooklyn would be trading aren't Brooklyn's picks. So, if the Nets bomb, they don't have to worry too much about damaging their own immediate draft stock.

It has been difficult to figure out which stars could actually show interest in Brooklyn, though. Donovan Mitchell and Trae Young are the obvious ones coming up. Putting Trae in New York is a genius move and would potentially add some actual spice to the Knicks rivalry. Obviously Mitchell is a mega-talent. But, in terms of winning postseason games, very few successful teams are built around small guards.

Butler can put Brooklyn back on the map in the playoffs. For how long is a valid question, and the Nets shouldn't mortgage their future without seriously considering the downside of late-career Butler. In the end, however, the Bridges-led Nets are going nowhere. Butler would elevate the current Brooklyn core with his skill set, and he gets to stay in a major market without shedding the underdog label.

3. Jimmy Butler can reunite with Joel Embiid and 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers nudging Jimmy Butler out of town after his magical half-season next to Joel Embiid will go down as one of the biggest blunders in franchise history. It was never strictly Tobias Harris or Jimmy Butler, but that is the direction Philadelphia ultimately went and we can check the Sixers' postseason track record to verify how that decision aged.

It would be very Sixers to bring Jimmy back just in time for the 3-point shot to fall off completely. Father Time is lurking around the corner, but few stars have proven more adept at actually coasting in the regular season and flipping the switch in the playoffs. Philadelphia is going to win the majority of its games so long as Joel Embiid is on the court. Butler's regular season floating can be tolerated, even compensated for.

All the things Jimmy disliked about the Sixers' regime at the time of his departure — Brett Brown, Ben Simmons, old management — are gone. Elton Brand is actually still the GM, but he's in the background. Daryl Morey is calling the shots, and we know Butler has a heartfelt appreciation for Embiid. Those two bonded quickly and Embiid would welcome Butler back to the Sixers' locker room with open arms.

In terms of on-court fit, this still works. Age and longevity are concerns for every potential Butler team, but the Sixers are fighting against the ticking clock that is Embiid's body. Philadelphia can't think too far ahead — it's about maximizing their immediate title window. Butler can spoon-feed Embiid easy looks out of the pick-and-roll while easing the shot creation burden on Tyrese Maxey. The Sixers will have $60 million in cap space and a lot of flexibility this offseason, as well as moving forward.

2. Jimmy Butler can put Knicks back in the contenders circle

The New York Knicks are the No. 2 seed in the East, but it still feels like Tom Thibodeau's squad is one piece away. New York has been patiently stockpiling trade ammo, waiting for the right star to become available. Honestly, there isn't a more perfect solution for this Knicks team. We know Butler and Thibs operate on the same wavelength, and surrounding Butler with a bunch of dawgs tends to work well.

No team in the NBA is more dedicated to its basic principles. The Knicks execute and then execute some more, throwing in a bit of brute-force physicality to overwhelm their opponents. Even with limited star power beyond Jalen Brunson, New York has managed to look like the Celtics' greatest challenger in the East so far. Add Butler to the mix, and suddenly the Knicks' halfcourt offense kicks into a higher gear and we have to talk about New York as a truly substantial threat.

Brunson has been an on-ball god in New York, but he experienced ample success as second fiddle in Dallas prior to his free agency move. Butler wouldn't relegate Brunson to second-fiddle status, but he would force Brunson to split ball-handling duties and spend more time spacing out to the 3-point line. That shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Once the playoffs arrive, Butler transforms into an all-world defender on the wing. Pair him with the likes of OG Anunoby, Donte DiVincenzo, and Mitchell Robinson, and the Knicks are going to absolutely bludgeon opponents on that end of the floor when it counts. The Knicks already do enough of that, frankly. The rest of the East should really want this to not happen.

1. Jimmy Butler can sing his swan song in Lakers purple and gold

We can't not mention the Los Angeles Lakers when discussing potentially available superstars. Everybody has an eye on LA these days, and the Lakers actually have the trade ammo to work out a potential third star addition this summer (or later on). Butler has filled the D-Wade shoes, more or less, in Miami. He could take a stab at playing in Kobe Bryant's shadow with the Lakers.

How the next few years unfold in Los Angeles should be exceedingly interesting. Butler's competitive window is short, but LeBron James is a year or two away from retirement. Anthony Davis should stick around for a while, but he is the NBA's best No. 2 for a reason. Davis cannot lead a winner by himself.

Butler and LeBron overlap a bit in terms of skill set and impact, but two bonafide basketball geniuses — one being LeBron freakin' James — should figure it out. Butler has the postseason accolades to back up the Lakers' short-term investment. He gives the Lakers a far more reliable source of shot-making and passing than D'Angelo Russell or Austin Reaves. Butler can supplement or star, and he gives Los Angeles a much-needed competitive edge.

Again, we should make note of the market. Los Angeles is sunny and there's a lot going on there for business-savvy folks. If Butler is going to leave the pristine beaches of Miami, frankly, LA feels like the most logical destination from a purely off-court perspective.