Heat wing Jimmy Butler, a five-time All-Star, has been having an MVP-level impact on Miami’s success when available this season, writes Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. Butler has led the way during the team’s recent 13-4 tear, which has propelled Miami from a 7-14 record to its current 20-18 mark, good for the No. 4 seed in the East.
Butler is averaging team bests in points (22.5 PPG), assists (9.1 APG), steals (2.1 SPG) and plus-minus (plus-117) during this 17-game turnaround. Though missing 14 games early may keep Butler from actually netting MVP honors, his impact on one of the best teams in its conference should certainly help cement his status as an All-NBA player for the 2020/21 season. The club is 16-8 when Butler plays and 4-10 when he sits.
There’s more out of South Beach:
- For now, Heat forward Chris Silva may have taken the rotation slot of rookie Precious Achiuwa, the No. 20 selection out of Memphis in the 2020 draft, per Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Achiuwa played season lows of 4:33 on Thursday and just 3:02 on Friday, both Heat victories.
- As the Heat rise up the East rankings, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel wonders if Miami should be proactive in looking to make win-now trades this month. The NBA trade deadline is March 25, and the pricey expiring contracts of veterans Meyers Leonard, Kelly Olynyk, and Andre Iguodala could all be in play. The Heat hold team options on Leonard and Iguodala for the 2021/22 season.
- In a separate article for The Sun Sentinel, Winderman speculates about whether the Heat could realistically trade for Magic All-Star center Nikola Vučević. Such a move would presumably send current starting center Bam Adebayo back to starting at the power forward position, at least on offense. Winderman notes that a deal centered around Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, Precious Achiuwa, and some salary-matching veterans could be enough to pique the Magic’s interest. This would significantly deplete Miami’s backcourt.
Heat should trade Herro, Achiuwa and an expiring contract for a good player
Like Oladipo?
Are you ever going to be realistic about Houston and their players?
Now why would we trade Herro?
The only player I can see Miami giving up the young guys for, is Beal… other than that, not sure who else they can get. I don’t feel like Oladipo, Aldridge are upgrades. I feel like a Lowry deal would be beneficial but who do we give up? Wonder if the Raps would be interested in a package centered around Achiuwa/Nunn and some salary fillers.
Unless they offer an enormous package to get Beal, it’s not going to happen. The best Miami can hope for right now is Oladipo, even if he looks like crap right now and most of those here who think they know what they’re talking about say he’s absolute garbage.
Nobody thinks he’s garbage, we just don’t put him on a pedestal like you do with every rockets player who’s decent or good.
Those trades don’t make the heat any more of a contender
Silva may be getting showcased for a trade, taking Achoo from the starting lineup. Silva has prominent strengths & weaknesses and Spoelstra could arrange things to put him in the best light.
Not really unfair… he is fun to watch for a neutral and could help a team that played him regular.
Aldredge could help them, and presumably Popovich can see Silva’s value, and Miami has salary to move.
Aldredge for Silva & Dragic, or Olynyk & Leonard instead of Dragic.
Actually I quite like for both teams the idea of Herro/Robinson/Achiuwa plus salary fillers for Vucevic!
That really improves MIA now & puts them in a position to compete (actually win, not just be the whippin’ boys of the finals) for the first time since LBJ left South Beach!
For ORL gives them a line up of Fultz/Herro/Robinson/Achiuwa/Bamba.
& in the bench Cole, that is a very solid young core movin’ forward for the Magic!
That would be a good trade, which means both teams win with it, which is what fans really should want to see a trade that benefits both teams!
For the HEAT, as good as Lowry still is, I’d rather have a healthy Goran come playoff time.
I don’t see the MAGIC giving up Vucevic – he’s about the only constant good thing on their lineup, at a decent contract to boot.
Always find it funny when writers say the Heat play in South Beach instead of downtown Miami where their arena is actually located.
Probably because the players play in South Beach (after the games.) :)
Vucevic is one popular dude. I don’t see any way that a package like that brings him to Miami. Even Ainge would beat it. Maybe.
I do think trading Robinson and/or Nunn is a good idea, unless the Heat are prepared to match an overpay offer sheet for each guy (and almost certainly forego cap space for the summers of 2022 and 2023). Both are rotation players though, so it would have to be an upgrade this year.
Jimmy Butler is currently averaging 21.1 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 8.0 APG, 2 SPG on 57% TS
Only players in NBA history to average at least 20-7-7-2 with 57%+ TS:
Magic Johnson (80-81)
Michael Jordan (88-89)
He has also been one of the best defenders in the NBA this season, as he typically might be. Top 2 in FG% against…
Only 6 players this season averaging 20+ PPG, 7+ RPG, 7+ APG
Among those players, he has the most steals+blocks per game, the fewest turnovers and fouls, and the BEST assist to turnover ratio
Jimmy B, best 2way player in the L ……
Heat shouldn’t trade Duncan. He opens up the floor for everyone. Heat need to just wait on Drummond to get bought out. Magic have some big decisions to make. And they have a great pick next yr too.
Stop trying to make Drummond happen