Betting markets are predicting a blockbuster trade that would potentially make the Miami Heat a super team and reunite Jrue Holiday with Giannis Antetokounmpo

The proposed trade would be a three-team move between the Miami Heat, the Houston Rockets, and the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Heat would receive Holiday and a 2027 second-round pick. Portland would receive Nikola Jovic and two second-round picks. Houston would receive Davion Mitchell.

It makes a lot of sense for the Rockets and the Heat, as the Heat would add a great player in Holiday. The Rockets would obviously get a great defender and guard.

While it makes sense for those teams, it only makes sense for the Trail Blazers if they feel they need to get rid of one of their star guards. They are currently splitting duties between four right now. After acquiring Ja Morant, the team now rosters him, Damian Lillard, Holiday and Scoot Henderson.

Another reason the Blazers would look to get rid of Holiday is his contract. With Holiday now 36 and owed over $30 million a year, it is a risky contract to have. The Blazers have shown no signs they want to get rid of him or think he is slowing down.

The Blazers return is still fairly low for a player of Holiday’s level, and they are the likeliest of the teams to shut this down.

Miami having to give up two players for Holiday would also mean a depth issue that they are already dealing with after using some of that and prospects to get Antetokounmpo.

However unlikely this trade is due to that, it is a frightening idea for the NBA to picture Holiday in Miami with all their recent acquisitions. Klay Thompson, Antetokounmpo, Holiday and Bam Adebayo all on the court would be a tough task for any group in the league.

Former Miami Heat teammates Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro got into a physical altercation Friday morning at a Las Vegas hotel practice court, with Adebayo striking Herro in the head area.

The confrontation happened at a gym inside Resorts World Casino, in front of Herro’s AAU team, according to reports. Herro said something to Adebayo as Adebayo walked onto the court, and Adebayo then punched him without hesitation. Herro’s AAU coach intervened, and security escorted Herro out while he yelled at his former teammate. Both players left the scene on their own, and a Las Vegas police spokesperson confirmed that officers were not called.

The dispute traced back to social media comments Herro made critiquing Adebayo after their seven-year run together in Miami ended this summer, when Herro was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks as part of the blockbuster deal that sent Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Heat.

Herro had posted an Instagram graphic highlighting the NBA’s least efficient midrange shooters, on which Adebayo ranked 10th, and screenshots circulated online of a direct message exchange in which comments attributed to Herro questioned whether Adebayo’s defensive effort justified his three-year, $166 million contract extension.

The incident unfolded hours after Herro sat courtside for Friday’s summer league matchup between the Heat and Bucks at the Thomas & Mack Center, where Miami won 119-86. During a Prime broadcast interview before news of the altercation broke, Herro said seeing his former team felt like “all love in Miami” and that he’d caught up with several former teammates and coaches. He later declined to comment on the altercation itself, telling the Sun Sentinel he had no comment, and he left the arena after chatting with Bucks forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. and greeting Milwaukee’s summer league players.

Both organizations have kept their public response minimal. The Heat said in a statement that they were aware of the incident but weren’t commenting, and the Bucks likewise declined to comment.

Bucks coach Taylor Jenkins, asked about it on SiriusXM NBA Radio, said he didn’t know the specifics and had no comment. Neither Adebayo nor Herro has personally addressed the confrontation, and it remains unclear whether the NBA will investigate or take any disciplinary action.

Former Miami Heat forward Michael Beasley added his perspective on the alleged cookie incident between former Heat star LeBron James and Heat owner Pat Riley. 

It’s been rumored that in the 2013-14 season, Riley took away James’ privilege of eating cookies and ice cream on the team plane. This was done without warning.

Beasley was a guest on the Club Shay Shay podcast hosted by Shannon Sharpe. He revealed details of the story, like how James’ personal chef made those cookies, not the team chefs. He noted what it was like when James was confronted about having the cookies.

“Bruh, that boy stood up. LeBron stood up like Thanos,” Beasley said.  “Where I play cards at, I can see where they bring the cookies from. I can see them scrambling. And LeBron stood up and yelled as far as the back. Everybody heard him. ‘Yo, if anybody do….’ That’s the first time I seen an organization get scared. From that point on, they tiptoed around.”

This story is rumored to be a big reason why James left the Heat after the 2013-14 season. Despite making the NBA finals, he left to rejoin the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Dwyane Wade was asked about this incident on the Underground Lounge podcast hosted by Lou Williams. He believed that the cookie incident was a big reason for James’s leaving.

“And I know this seems small, but when we get on that plane, all the little things matter. You got the s— that gets you through. When I get on this plane, I expect what I want because this is what gets me through,” Wade said. “I got to have my comforts along the way or I ain’t going to be me. Riley took all them comforts away.”

The Miami Heat were eliminated from the 2026 NBA playoffs after losing to the Charlotte Hornets in the play-in tournament.

The Hornets defeated the Heat 127-126 in overtime. This was the first time the Heat had missed the playoffs since the 2019 season.

In the second quarter, Bam Adebayo was tripped by LaMelo Ball. Adebayo suffered a back injury and missed the rest of the game. In the postgame, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra argued that Ball should’ve been ejected for this play. Despite this, Ball told reporters he didn’t mean any harm.

“I apologize on that one,” Ball said, “but imma check on him and see if he’s OK.” 

With just 11 seconds left in regulation, Coby White hit a clutch three for the Hornets to tie the game at 114. Tyler Herro missed a potential game-winner, sending the game to overtime.

Ball got a layup to put the Hornets up by one point with just five seconds remaining in overtime. Davion Mitchell went for a dunk but was blocked by Miles Bridges. 

Bridges was a major contributor for the Hornets with 28 points and nine rebounds. Brandon Miller added on with 23 points.

Despite missing the dunk in overtime, Mitchell was still the Heat’s best player in the game. He scored 28 points and had six assists. Andrew Wiggins also had a strong game, scoring 27 points and grabbing 7 rebounds. Wiggins was part of the Warriors’ championship team in 2022. 

The Heat played their first full season without Jimmy Butler after he was traded at the 2025 trade deadline. Although Norman Powell stepped up for the Heat and made his first All-Star team, the Heat still failed to make the playoffs. 

The Hornets will play the loser of the Philadelphia 76ers-Orlando Magic game. The winner of that final game will face the No. 1-seeded Detroit Pistons in the playoffs. 

The Miami Heat are officially ending Terry Rozier‘s stint with the team, as they announced he will be waived.

Rozier, 32, is owed $26.6 million this year and is in the final season of a four-year $96.3 million contract that the Heat most definitely regretted handing out.

The former Louisville Cardinal was placed on leave by the NBA during the federal investigation into gambling and being accused of manipulating his own stats so that his “Unders” would hit. This allegedly occurred while Rozier was a member of the Charlotte Hornets.

Rozier was placed under arrest by the FBI during their investigation into an illegal gambling ring. He pleaded not guilty to wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy charges.

Despite being placed on leave, he still held a roster spot, so the Heat decided to create an open roster spot ahead of the Play-In tournament.

With the season coming to an end, the Heat have been planning this move for quite some time, knowing Rozier would not be a factor in the postseason.

Terry Rozier hasn’t played a game all season due to being arrested and charged for his involvement in the illegal gambling scheme.

Despite not playing all year and being arrested, he has remained on the Miami Heat’s roster, but that will soon change as the team is expected to waive the guard right before the start of the playoffs.

“The Heat is expected to waive Rozier before the end of the regular season to open a roster spot to add a player for depth in the postseason,” according to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald.

They had kept him on the roster but listed him as “away from the team.” Rozier is currently on a $26.6 million expiring contract that could have been used as a trade piece, but nothing came to fruition. The Heat haven’t been in any rush to release him because their depth has been so good, leaving little to no urgency to open a roster spot.

The Heat have a full 15-man roster, and waiving Rozier will open up a spot for the postseason. They are likely holding off on releasing Rozier in case an injury arises, and need to add a body. This also allows them to convert one of their two-way players to a standard contract, making them playoff-eligible.

Rozier has pleaded not guilty to the charges from the gambling investigation, and his case is currently going through the court system.

Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo scored 83 points on March 10 against the Washington Wizards.

This is the second-most points all-time in an NBA game. It was the most since Kobe Bryant scored 81 points in 2006 against the Toronto Raptors. Adebayo’s effort helped the Heat defeat the Wizards 150-129.

Adebayo started the game off strong with 31 points in the first quarter. He finished the first half with 43 points. This means he surpassed his previous career-high of 41 points at halftime. 

The game was effectively over by the fourth quarter. The Heat led the Wizards 113-97 through three quarters. Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra let Adebayo run the offense. This led him to attempt eight field goals and 16 free throws. 

Adebayo completely stole the show, but he wasn’t alone. Simone Fontecchio scored 18 points as well. This is the first time in NBA history that two teammates scored 100 or more points combined without one of them scoring 100 individually. 

It’ll be hard for the Wizards to take away any positives from the game, but there were some. Wizards center Alex Sarr scored 28 points to lead the team. Although Adebayo dominated Sarr on defense, he only guarded Adebayo for about half his shots. Sarr didn’t play in the fourth quarter when Adebayo scored 21 to pass Bryant’s mark. Will Riley scored 22 points, but also had little luck in stopping Adebayo. 

Comparisons between Bryant’s and Adebayo’s historic performances instantly started. Bryant took more field goals than Adebayo, but Adebayo shot more than double the number of free throws. 

Regardless of which game fans will consider better, Adebayo adds another accomplishment to his Hall of Fame resume. Adebayo is a three-time All-Star and two-time Olympic gold medal winner.   

The Heat’s next game is March 12 against the Milwaukee Bucks. 

Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo missed the team’s game against the Charlotte Hornets after suffering a left big toe sprain on Wednesday.

The 28-year-old is listed as day-to-day after undergoing an MRI. Adebayo, who is averaging 19.9 points and 8.1 rebounds this season, exited in the first quarter of the Heat’s 122-112 road defeat to the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night. The center did not return to the court.

“A guy hit me in the back of the leg and then I felt the pain in my foot,” Adebayo said after the loss. “So, I took it upon myself to check myself out and go see what happened.”

“Obviously, you don’t want to do anything more to cause any lingering effects. So, Spo (head coach Erik Spoelstra) checked me out.”

Adebayo joins Tyler Herro on the Heat’s injury report: the latter of whom is undergoing surgery on his left foot prior to the season.

The Heat sit in ninth place in the Eastern Conference as the team gets ready for a four-game home stand, starting with the Hornets on Friday night.

The Cleveland Cavaliers advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals, giving the Miami Heat a beatdown among the worst in franchise history.

The Cavaliers beat the Heat 138-83, at one point leading by 60. The 55-point win is the fourth-largest in NBA playoffs history.

The series finished as the most lopsided in NBA playoff history, with the Cavaliers outscoring the Heat by 122 points through four games – 92 of the 122 points came in games three and four on Miami’s home floor.

Game three was the worst home playoff loss in Heat history, until game four.

At halftime, with the score 72-33, the TNT crew didn’t hold back on criticism for the Heat.

“This might be the worst game I’ve ever watched,” Ernie Johnson chimed in.

As a team, the Heat finished with more turnovers than assists. The Heat were outgained in just about every statistical category.

Donovan Mitchell finished with 22 points and five assists in just 25 minutes. Jarrett Allen finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Allen led the Cavaliers with a plus/minus of +42.

For the Heat, Tyler Herro had arguably the worst game of his professional career. He scored four points on 1-10 shooting and was either equal in scoring or outscored by 13 Cavaliers players.

The Heat’s one bright spot was Nikola Jovic, who had previously struggled in the series. He finished the game with 24 points and five rebounds.

Changes are likely coming in Miami. A team that has held the same core for so long could see some vital changes to the roster.

The Cavaliers will play the winner of the Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks series. The Pacers are currently ahead 3-1.

If anybody believed that an NBA probe and fan criticism were going to stop Ja Morant from expressing himself, they were sadly mistaken.

Following a probe from the NBA after Morant made a finger gun gesture toward the Golden State Warriors bench on Tuesday, Morant decided to double down on the motion, this time as a celebration for a made 3-pointer.

In case that wasn’t enough drama, Morant closed the game with a game-winner.

The Memphis Grizzlies picked up a much-needed win over the Miami Heat 110-108. The game, which featured multiple lead changes, ended when Morant hit a game-winning mid-range shot over Heat Rookie Ke’lel Ware.

Morant had some words for Ware after the game.

“A pigeon guarding me,” Morant told Taylor Rooks during her post-game interview. “Go get a bucket and win the game.”

The win snaps a cold streak for the Grizzlies, who had lost eight of their last ten games coming into Miami.

On the flip side, this game snapped a six-game winning streak for the Heat, which came immediately after a ten-game losing streak.

Following Morant’s handgun gesture on Tuesday, the NBA issued a warning, deeming his actions to be “inappropriate but not violent.” The NBA does consider player history when assessing discipline, but it is unlikely that any action will come from Thursday night.

The Golden State Warriors completed a four-team trade Wednesday night to acquire star forward Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat. Butler will reportedly sign a two-year, $121 million extension with Golden State, cementing a long-term partnership with Steph Curry.

The Detroit Pistons and Utah Jazz were also included in the trade. To get Butler, Golden State sent away Andrew Wiggins, Dennis Schroder, Kyle Anderson and a protected first-round pick. Reports suggest that the Warriors were originally in talks to make a similarly splashy trade with the Suns for Kevin Durant, but Durant reportedly shot down the deal. 

Butler’s trade to the Warriors finally ends months of rapid speculation and drama connected to Butler’s future. The Heat suspended him twice in January while stating publicly that it would not trade him, but tensions seemed to grow stronger each week. With Butler’s free agency looming, it became imperative for Miami to get something by ending the relationship that had long gone sour. 

With a 25-24 record, Miami is in line for a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference, and Butler’s extended absences this season suggest that the team can compete without him. Still, losing a star player in the middle of the season will certainly limit the team when playoffs begin in the spring.

Butler’s extension with the Warriors suggests that he believes he has landed on a playoff contender, even as Curry struggles to keep them competitive in the midst of a minor rebuild. Golden State is currently 25-25, 11th in the Western Conference, struggling to perform consistently despite several big wins.

Losing Wiggins, Schroder and Anderson shakes up the Warriors’ roster in a meaningful way, but Butler could be a key contributor down the stretch. Jonathan Kuminga, Draymond Green and Kevon Looney all survived the expansive trade and should continue to thrive in supporting roles.

The Phoenix Suns announced last week that they had acquired three first-round picks from the Utah Jazz in 2025, 2027 and 2029, in exchange for their own 2031 first-round pick.

The three picks coming from Utah to Phoenix will be the least favorable of the picks from the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Jazz. In essence, Utah general manager Justin Zanik is betting on the Suns to be a bad team in six years – and he’s likely right.

The Suns’ marquee players are aging. Kevin Durant turns 37 this year, and Devin Booker, currently in his prime, turns 29. Phoenix is pursuing more firepower in the hopes of chasing the championship window, which will likely cut down even further on their draft capital. No one knows what the NBA will look like in six years, but the odds of the Suns being in the midst of an arduous rebuild seem high.

And it’s that same firepower that likely led the Suns to this trade. The Miami Heat recently suspended star Jimmy Butler for missing his flight to a road trip – another hiccup in what has recently become a soap opera of a season for Butler. Trading him seems increasingly to be the only option, and one that teams looking to capitalize on its seasons will be keeping an eye on.

Phoenix, which currently sits tenth in a tough Western Conference with a 22-21 record, certainly expanded their trade capital with the first-round swap. The Jazz, meanwhile, consolidated their picks from the Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell trades, and still have 11 first-round picks in the next seven years.

“The three picks we traded have no chance to be the No. 1 pick, and this one does,” Zanik explained. “We’ve always talked about bites at the apple or more swings in the draft, but it is also about the quality of the swings, and [the Suns’ pick] is, in my opinion, the most valuable asset on the market right now.”

As for the Suns, it remains to be seen whether the pick swap will help them land Butler – and whether that move, if it occurs, will elevate them to contender status.

The Miami Heat announced Wednesday that it was suspending forward Jimmy Butler for two games after the disgruntled star missed a team flight. After serving a seven-game suspension earlier this month, Butler only played in three games before returning to the shelf.

“We have suspended Jimmy Butler for two games for continued pattern of disregard of team rules, insubordinate conduct and conduct detrimental to the team, including missing today’s team flight to Milwaukee,” the Heat said in a statement.

Butler and Miami have been at odds all season, as multiple trade rumors and reported locker room issues seem to reflect deeper differences between the two sides. After Butler’s agent Bernie Lee and Heat President Pat Riley both vehemently denied reports of trade talks, Miami suspended Butler for insubordinate behavior and an apparent disinterest in playing.

The star forward’s return was enthusiastic even as he struggled to get back into mid-season form, but Wednesday’s suspension is yet another misstep in the working relationship. Butler reportedly arranged his own travel plans for the Heat’s road trip, something he has done in the past. In this instance, the team has taken a stand and punished him for it.

Based on the existing drama between Butler and Miami’s front office, this second suspension could be enough to sever whatever semblance of a relationship the two sides still have. Butler was almost certainly leaving at the end of the season anyway, but as the 21-21 Heat continue to tumble down the Eastern Conference standings, it could soon be prudent to finally capitulate and trade him away.

Since arriving in Miami in 2019, Butler has led the Heat to the playoffs four times, including two upset NBA Finals appearances in 2020 and 2023. Known as a solid player in the regular season, he has developed a reputation for extraordinary play in the postseason, which has lifted otherwise average Heat rosters well beyond expectations. At age 35, there could still be time for another meaningful stint. The chances of that happening in Miami are increasingly unlikely.

Jimmy Butler has returned to the Miami Heat’s lineup after serving a seven-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team. In his return against the Denver Nuggets, he scored 18 points in the 133-113 loss. Despite his return, reports have indicated that there are ongoing tensions between him and the organization.

Butler reiterated his desire to be traded during a meeting with team president Pat Riley last week. He was also upset by the duration of his suspension, and if the NBPA’s grievance is not successful, he will lose over $2.3 million in salary.

Sources close to the Heat suggest that it’s not just Butler that wants to leave, the feeling is mutual with the organization no longer wanting him there either.

“I don’t know how he can come back to this locker room,” one team source team.

Another source said, “We don’t want him back.”

Players, coaches, and staff have become tired of Butler, while he is also frustrated with Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo taking on more offensive responsibilities, feeling that it’s diminished his own opportunities. A source that’s close to him said, “if they’re doing this transition to Bam and Tyler, Jimmy’s like, ‘Fine, do your transition.'”

The Phoenix Suns are reportedly eager to trade for Butler, but acquiring him would be difficult without moving Bradley Beal, who has a no-trade clause included in his contract and is set to be paid $57.1 million in 2026-27. A third team would be needed to absorb Beal’s contract, and he would have to approve the trade for it to go through.

This situation has come at a very challenging time because trades, particularly those involving hefty salaries like Butler’s $48.8 million contract this season and his $52.4 million player option for 2025-26 are tougher to execute now due to the league’s new collective bargaining agreement.

Under the updated collective bargaining agreement, teams exceeding certain salary thresholds face major restrictions. These include limits on trading players, signing players and using certain financial exceptions. This makes it harder to trade players with big contracts.

Miami Heat president Pat Riley issued a statement Thursday saying that the team does not plan on trading forward Jimmy Butler. Butler has been the subject of numerous trade rumors over the past year, with the most recent report Wednesday stating that he wished to be traded by the NBA’s deadline on Feb. 6.

“We usually don’t comment on rumors, but all this speculation has become a distraction to the team and is not fair to the players and coaches,” Riley said in a team statement. “Therefore, we will make it clear – We are not trading Jimmy Butler.”

Earlier this month, Butler’s agent, Bernie Lee, vehemently denied a report from The Athletic‘s Shams Charania that Butler was intent on being traded to the Phoenix Suns. It is unclear if Lee was denying the trade rumors or the destination in that instance, but in any case, Charania doubled down Wednesday, reporting that Butler wanted out of Miami by the trade deadline. 

Charania did not say that Butler formally requested a trade, but simply reported that he was ready to depart. This time, it was Riley who undermined Charania, stating that the team had no interest in making the move. Though Riley’s update did not address whether Butler wanted a trade, as Charania reported, it does seem to put an end to the idea of the star forward leaving. At this point, it would likely require a formal trade request for Butler to escalate matters further.

The speculation surrounding Butler’s potential departure stems from the Heat’s failure to build around him. After leading the team to a surprise run to the NBA Finals in 2023, Butler and the Heat regressed back to an also-ran last season. The team is similarly stagnant in the 2024-25 season, holding in sixth place in the Eastern Conference with a 14-13 record.

Butler, a 35-year-old veteran, has stated his desire to win an NBA Championship in his career, and with time running out, it seems increasingly unlikely that the Heat can build the team necessary to win one. Despite all the rumors tied to this motivation, however, Butler has not submitted a formal trade request and the Heat’s front office has now taken a clear stance against moving him. For now, it seems like he will remain in Miami until at least next year.

Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler‘s agent, Bernie Lee, took to social media to emphatically deny a report by The Athletic‘s Shams Charania. The NBA’s go-to insider mentioned Lee by name in a report, claiming that the agent and Butler were open to trade talks with the Phoenix Suns.

“Alright, listen. I gave you a pass yesterday because I was busy, but if you don’t stop putting my name on your complete and utter made-up bulls— because you know you normally aren’t worth my time to acknowledge,” Lee wrote to Charania on X. “I don’t know what I’m going to do because I’m a middle-aged dad but just know it would indicate severe dislike. World… all this is fabricated. I have never, and honestly it wouldn’t help me or the position I represent, to do anything that’s been reported by said ‘journalist.'”

Lee went on to accuse Charania of using artificial intelligence to write his tweets for him in the tirade, refuting the report while also attacking Charania as a reporter. The Athletic reporter responded to Lee’s comments on ESPN Thursday.

“I 1000% stand by my reporting,” Charania said. “It’s fully vetted. And as a professional, that’s what I do, that’s what I get paid to do … report truthfully and accurately. That’s what this is. Period.”

Butler, who has been at the center of trade talks for some time, has been rumored to be departing Miami for a countless number of teams. Once expected to be targeted by the Rockets, the Warriors have emerged as the new rumored buyer. 

The Suns, who already lack depth with a top-heavy, do not figure as a likely landing spot, but Charania claims to have sources to confirm the rumor. By using Lee’s name directly, however, Charania does lose some credibility now that the agent has publicly and angrily spoken out against it. Charania’s original report on X is now accompanied by a community note, clarifying that Lee disputes the claims.

Los Angeles Lakers coach J.J. Redick was candid in describing the team’s collective shame after a 41-point defeat to the Miami Heat on Wednesday. The Lakers’ offense performed poorly, but they were especially exposed on defense in a low-effort, systematic shutdown.

“There has to be some ownership,” Redick said after the game, a 134-93 Lakers loss. “When a group is not performing well… you can splinter and it’s easy to not want the ownership, particularly when it’s embarrassing. I’m embarrassed, we’re all embarrassed. It’s not a game that I thought we had the right fight, the right professionalism.”

In many ways, Redick was as powerless as viewers at home. Los Angeles’ defense was so egregiously bad late in the game that several moments quickly went viral. With 9:20 remaining in the third quarter, Heat guard Duncan Robinson was so wide open under the basket that he paused and decided against taking the layup. Instead, he kicked the ball back out to Bam Adebayo, who swung it to Tyler Herro for a completely uncontested three-pointer. Lakers star Anthony Davis was dumbfounded looking around at his teammates after the play.

Later on in the quarter, the entire Lakers team walked back on defense after a missed jumper, allowing Terry Rozier to get behind them and put the Heat ahead 100-72 on an uncontested layup. It was an unmistakable sign of a team quitting.

The technical side of this blowout loss is largely irrelevant, as the Lakers demonstrated Wednesday night that their issues are basic. This isn’t the first time. The team is not competing as a unit and is consistently prone to collapsing after losing early initiatives. 

LeBron James finished the night with 29 points, but this team is supposed to be more than a stat-padding venture for the aging superstar. Despite having two future Hall-of-Famers on the roster, the Lakers are in ninth place in the Western Conference with a 12-10 record.

The Golden State Warriors find themselves at a crossroads. Having missed the playoffs despite having a healthy Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson, the once-dominant dynasty now faces an uncertain future. With Curry at 36 and nearing the twilight of his illustrious career, Thompson heading into unrestricted free agency, and Green recently enduring his longest suspension, the franchise is contemplating its next big move.

Owner Joe Lacob wants to avoid the luxury tax next season, contrasting the hundreds of millions paid during their championship runs. However, the Warriors’ history in roster management suggests they might be considering another significant acquisition: Miami Heat’s Jimmy Butler.

Butler, a key figure in Miami’s success over the past five seasons and a two-time NBA Finals participant, is seeking a maximum contract extension—a commitment the Heat are hesitant to make. This opens the door for teams like the Philadelphia 76ers and possibly the Warriors to make a play for the star forward.

Landing Butler would be a challenge: Golden State’s most promising young players, Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski, may not align with Miami’s needs, given their current roster.

Financially, matching Butler’s $48.8 million salary is another hurdle. While Andrew Wiggins’ $26.3 million salary provides a starting point, the gap would likely require including Chris Paul, whose $30 million salary is currently non-guaranteed. However, Miami’s luxury tax concerns might make them reluctant to take on such hefty contracts, potentially necessitating a third team to facilitate the trade.

The Warriors would face substantial luxury tax implications even if a deal for Butler materializes. With Curry, Green and potentially Thompson all drawing significant salaries, adding Butler to the mix would guarantee a continuation of hefty tax bills. This financial burden raises the question: Is pursuing another championship worth the fiscal strain and the potential sacrifice of future assets and flexibility?

The acquisition of Kevin Durant in 2016 led to two championships, a gamble that paid off handsomely. The current situation with Butler presents a similar high-risk, high-reward scenario. Adding Butler could rejuvenate the team’s championship aspirations in Curry’s final years, but it also risks long-term consequences.

The decision hinges on the Warriors’ commitment to maximizing Curry’s remaining prime years. Sacrificing future draft picks and enduring several more years of tax penalties might be a price worth paying for another title run. The potential addition of Butler could be the catalyst for repeating past glory, reinforcing Golden State’s legacy as a perennial contender.

The Warriors’ pursuit of Butler will be a narrative to watch as the offseason progresses. Balancing immediate success with future stability is a delicate act, but the lure of another championship could prove irresistible for a franchise accustomed to winning.

Damian Lillard’s agent, Aaron Goodwin has reportedly been telling NBA teams that the Portland Trail Blazers star is only interested in being traded to the Miami Heat. The point guard is not technically on the free agency market, but with a trade likely on the way, Lillard seems to be zeroing in on a desired landing spot.

In an interview with the Miami Herald, Goodwin affirmed that Lillard has received interest from multiple teams but has also been clear that his client has a specific team in mind.

“I do what I should for my client,” Goodwin said. “Some teams I did call. Other teams have called me. It’s a respectful relationship with most teams. Truthfully, he wants to play in Miami. Period.”

Speculation surrounding Lillard’s off-season has been rampant for several months now, but it is now clear at least that there is no plan for him to rejoin the Blazers next season. Lillard has been reposting Portland fans’ farewell messages on social media, a clear sign that he is leaving the city where he spent his entire career. The Blazers also used the third overall pick in the draft this year to sign Scoot Henderson, a highly touted point guard who might have taken minutes from Lillard.

Earlier in the offseason, Lillard said that he would consider the Heat and the Brooklyn Nets as potential trade destinations. There were also rumors that he would have considered going to the Warriors, though negotiations cooled after the team acquired veteran Chris Paul.

Tracking down various rumors over the past few months may or may not reveal Lillard’s eventual team for the 2023-24 season, but the overarching goal for him seems to be a championship by the end of his career. Front office executives for the Heat need only point at their improbable run to the Finals last season to prove themselves as a win-now team.

Lillard has spent his entire 11-year career with the Trail Blazers, reaching the All-Star Game seven times. He led the team to the postseason in eight of those seasons but never got further than the Western Conference Final.