Predicting the 2 mystery teams willing to sign Jimmy Butler to max extension

Is the partnership between Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat actually coming to an end? Well, it sure feels that way...

Pat Riley has said Miami won't trade Butler, but the rumors persist. Butler is eligible for a two-year, $113 million extension that will last through his age-38 season. The Heat appear reticent to engage, with the Philadelphia 76ers frothing at the mouth in anticipation of a potential trade. Once the NBA Draft rolls out in late June, the Sixers can trade up to five first-round picks — all without sending salary back to Miami due to their unique cap situation.

If the Heat don't honor Butler's contract desires, he is expected to seek a max deal elsewhere. The Sixers are willing to pay the man (better late than never), but according to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald, there are two more "mystery teams" also willing to hand Butler a max extension. This won't be a one-horse race if the Heat decide Butler isn't worth the money or the trouble.

We don't know who these mystery teams are, though. Thus the 'mystery' label. It's always fun to play the guessing game in the NBA summertime. Butler would obviously elevate a number of teams, but only a few franchises are equipped with the assets necessary to trade for Butler and the motivation to pay him $60 million at 38 years old. That is a risk reserved only for the bravest, most desperate teams in the NBA. Or the dumbest, more directionless franchises.

Yesterday, I made the case for San Antonio and Golden State to engage the Heat about a trade. That doesn't necessarily mean I believe the Spurs or Warriors are actually in the mix. Here is my best guess at which teams are actually lining up to pay Butler, for better or worse.

Who besides the 76ers is trying to trade for and extend Jimmy Butler?

For all the (valid) hand-wringing about age and injuries, Butler was quite productive for the Heat last season. He averaged 20.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.0 assists on .499/.414/.858 splits in 34.0 minutes. Limited to 60 regular season appearances, Butler was on track for another memorable postseason until he injured his knee on a freak collision in the Play-In Tournament. It happens.

At this point, it's unwise to expect 82 games of full-throttle production from Butler. Still, he has led Miami to the NBA Finals twice, once as the No. 8 seed. He is a bona fide postseason leader — the sort of clutch god who comes across maybe once in a generation. A lot of players are labeled as "built different" or "made for the moment," but those descriptors actually apply to Butler. His ability to elevate his performance under pressure is virtually unmatched around the association.

The Sixers are the obvious landing spot; there is a proven formula with Joel Embiid and Butler on the court together. Butler should be receptive to Philadelphia's penance after it all went sour five years ago. This is an opportunity for the Sixers to right past wrongs.

Who else, though, has the need or the delusion of a need to acquire Butler and take such a risky plunge?

Let's start with the team that shouldn't but totally would.

Bulls could try to flip script on perpetual mediocirity with Jimmy Butler trade

The Chicago Bulls are stuck in a vicious cycle of middling success. What better way out than to acquire a top-20 player — not to mention a beloved former cornerstone like Butler, whose exit from Chicago in 2017 was the starting point of their aimless wandering. Not unlike the Sixers, there has to be an element of regret stemming from Chicago ownership. What if the Bulls kept Butler and built around him? How differently would the last seven years have gone?

This is an opportune time for the Bulls to take the plunge. DeMar DeRozan is a free agent and Zach LaVine is a popular trade candidate. Chicago can reset the deck in a hurry. Coby White exploded onto the scene last season. He's a legitimate No. 2 for a postseason team in the fickle East. Alex Caruso, Patrick Williams, Nikola Vucevic. There's a real supporting cast in place.

Bulls GM Mark Eversley was the Sixers' VP of personnel when the Butler trade went down in Philadelphia. That is a noteworthy connection here. It's clear the Bulls aren't ready to throw in the towel and rebuild yet. Of course, Chicago should rebuild — Butler ain't leading this Chicago team to the mountaintop — but what the Bulls should do and what the Bulls do rarely align.

Pelicans need an edge that Jimmy Butler can provide

The New Orleans Pelicans are a sleeper here. If any team can optimize Brandon Ingram and help him reach his ceiling, it's Miami. That is a very juicy bargaining chip — not to mention the treasure trove of draft assets Pelicans president David Griffin sits on. New Orleans has the flexibility to acquire Butler, pay him his due, and still maneuver around the margins for additional win-now moves.

Butler isn't the cleanest fit in New Orleans, but at a certain point, talent and postseason track record win out. The Pelicans' window won't stay open forever with Zion Williamson. He's a questionable health bet every season and the current setup has not worked at the highest level. Butler has a history of elevating his performance — and elevating his teammates — when the lights are brightest. He represents a chemical change to the Pelicans lineup, which is precisely what NOLA needs.

The more you dig and think about it, the more this makes sense. New Orleans might need to move CJ McCollum in a separate trade to free up some cap flexibility under the new CBA, but Butler and Zion is a more interesting gamble than Ingram and Zion. The Pelicans' current core has run its course, but New Orleans is not interested in taking a step back. Griffin has all the chips necessary to push the Pels forward.

The move from Miami to New Orleans isn't too far and, honestly, that is the perfect city for Butler and his personality. Perhaps not the biggest market, but the sort of culturally rich area where Butler and his coffee empire can expand while helping the Pels string together a few postseason victories.