Heat's nightmare scenario for 2025 NBA trade deadline

01/25/2025 10:53 AM

The Miami Heat were originally expected to compete for a playoff spot this year, especially when Jimmy Butler remained with the team. However, since then, things have taken a catastrophic turn. Based on the surface, it looks like the relationship between Butler and the Heat organization has fallen apart. As a result, the former wants out.

With Butler on the trade block, the Heat are keen on agreeing to the best offer possible, as they plan to give the keys to their young core. However, the trade deadline isn’t always going to fix a team’s problems. For this piece, let’s take a look at what the Heat’s nightmare scenario for the 2025 NBA trade deadline would look like.

Keeping Jimmy Butler saga alive worst-case scenario for Heat

The biggest concern for the Heat right now is finding the right trade to unload Butler. But with the trade deadline approaching, the time is ticking for Riley and crew to make a decision. Of course, the worst possible circumstance the Heat will have to deal with is keeping around the six time All-Star. Tensions between Butler and the Heat organization are at an all-time high.

Earlier in January, Butler revealed to the press about not finding his joy in playing basketball in Miami, moments after the Indiana Pacers handed the Heat a 128-115 beatdown. The Heat organization penalized Butler for his statements with a seven game suspension. And just two days ago, Butler reportedly missed a team flight, forcing executives to hand him another two game suspension, according to a report by CNN.

The relationship between Butler and the Heat has turned into an ugly mess that’s going to end up with a dramatic divorce. With the way things look, it’s the top priority for the Heat to unload Butler. Otherwise, keeping him for the rest of the season will only further diminish the team’s performance. Currently, the Heat are 21-22, dropping their last two games. It’s quite obvious that the players and coaching staff are getting distracted with the trade rumors surrounding the disgruntled star. In fact, ESPN’s Shams Charania claimed it as such, according to an article by Bleacher Report.

Unable to fill Butler’s impending void

If there’s another thing that the Heat need to worry about, it’d be Butler’s possible replacement. With the Heat planning to transition away from the Jimmy Butler era, the team needs to embrace its young core. But while Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo are proven building blocks that can usher in the future, to go along with the potential of Nikola Jovic, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Kel’el Ware, the team still has some glaring holes in their roster.

With Butler’s absence thus far, the team can basically experiment with its young pieces. So far, a glaring issue has been a dependable shot creator, something that the former NBA Most Improved Player generates when he is on the floor.

Given that Butler is expected to head out to a different team, the team should also capitalize on the trade deadline to cushion the blow of his departure. The Heat don’t exactly have plenty of assets to move. But with Butler garnering interest, it’s essential for Miami to capitalize on his leverage if they want to pull some surprises once the postseason rolls by.

Failing to move on from other veterans

Aside from Butler, Miami also needs to move on from veterans that don’t only align with the team’s timeline, but also who don’t contribute as expected. A notable veteran that comes to mind is Terry Rozier. In the 2023-24 season, Rozier was acquired as part of a Kyle Lowry trade. Although he has initially impressed in his stint, that isn’t the case this year. Rozier is only averaging 11.8 points on 40.1% shooting from the field and a measly 28.9% clip from beyond the arc. As a result, he has failed to step up as the team’s main shot creator in lieu of Butler’s absence.

On the other hand, the team also needs to consider the expiring contracts of Josh Richardson and Alec Burks. Richardson is having the worst season of his career, averaging only 4.0 points per game on 28.9 percent shooting from the field overall. On the other hand, as good as a shot creator Burks can be, he somehow has yet to be a consistent figure in Erik Spoelstra’s rotation. The 33-year old guard is averaging 5.6 points per outing.

These three veterans maybe in a declining stage of their respective careers. However, with still enough trade value, the Heat need to utilize them for either roster upgrades or to boost their draft capital. But if the Heat don’t move them, the team will not be able to get younger. But more importantly, getting stuck with these veterans provides less help for the rising core that’s trying to make some noise.

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