Just one year after an impressive playoff run that ended in a loss to the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals, the Miami Heat find themselves stuck in the dreaded purgatory of NBA mediocrity.
The 2023-24 season was a disappointment in South Beach, marred by injuries, inconsistent effort, and a roster lacking in talent, which resulted in just 46 wins and the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference.
The Heat’s season concluded with a first-round playoff exit at the hands of the eventual champion Boston Celtics.
This five-game defeat by Boston highlighted how far Miami has fallen in the NBA hierarchy in just one year, as their talent was significantly outmatched by a Celtics team they had previously beaten in an iconic Conference Finals battle the prior season.
The Heat capitalized on a down year for the league as a whole in 2022-23, but now, with several teams making significant improvements, Miami is struggling to maintain its position in the middle of the NBA pack.
Heat fans might point to Jimmy Butler’s injury as the cause of their downfall, but the truth is they have been a mediocre regular-season team for years, relying heavily on Butler to carry subpar rosters to deep playoff runs.
With Butler turning 35 before the start of this season and his health being unreliable, Miami must acknowledge that their championship window is closing unless the franchise makes a significant trade.
Whether the Heat aim for contention or decide to rebuild, here are three players likely to be traded. Butler has been a phenomenal player for the Heat during his five years in Florida, bearing a significant burden on both ends of the court, leading Miami to two NBA Finals appearances and a trip to the Conference Finals despite playing with less talent than most superstars.
He has provided many legendary moments and embodied Heat culture in a way that few superstars can.
However, it might be time for a breakup for several reasons: his age and injury history, his upcoming contract situation, his lack of commitment to the regular season, and recent public disputes with team president Pat Riley.
Even with Butler mostly healthy over the last five regular seasons, Miami has struggled to avoid play-in territory several times, and their outlook is bleak with the rapidly improving Eastern Conference.
After being outclassed by Boston in a first-round exit in 2023-24, Miami enters this year as roughly the seventh-best team in the East, which might be generous considering Butler’s age and potential decline. Butler and the franchise have publicly disagreed over a forthcoming four-year max extension, with Miami asking him to play more games to earn the contract he desires.
With Butler entering his age-35 season, the Heat cannot afford to pay him over $60 million per year and remain competitive over the next five years, given the mileage on his body and the lack of talent around him.
All these factors could lead to Butler being traded before the season ends, either to initiate a rebuild around Bam Adebayo or to quickly pivot to a new core of players capable of contending for titles sooner rather than later.
Given Heat Culture, the latter is more likely.
Several teams, including the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks, have been rumored to be interested in the Heat’s superstar, but Miami seems to be holding onto him for now.
However, if a perfect trade opportunity arises or the team gets off to a poor start in 2024-25, Butler could be on his way out.