New Blockbuster Three-Team Trade Proposal Sends Jimmy Butler to the Orlando Magic, Hawks Land Backup Point Guard

Could the Hawks be a viable candidate as the third team in a deal that keeps Jimmy Butler in the Sunshine State by sending him to the Orlando Magic?

Oct 16, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) brings the ball up the court as Atlanta Hawks guard Vit Krejci (27) defends in the first half at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

The possibility of the Jimmy Butler era coming to an end in Miami seems like only a matter of time.

Per ESPN's Shams Charania, Jimmy Butler officially requested a trade out of Atlanta and has been suspended by the Heat for seven games as a result of "conduct detrimental to the team". This stems from the star's admission that he does not see a future for himself in Miami during a recent press conference. Butler's full comments are below:

"I want to get my joy back. I’m happy here, off the court, but I want to be back to somewhere dominant. I want to hoop and I want to help this team win. Right now, I’m not doing that.”

When asked by reporters whether he could find that joy in Miami, Butler responded by saying "Probably not". It seems all but a given that the Heat will not allow the situation to drag out longer than it needs to and move Butler as quickly as they can.

If a Butler deal does come to fruition as a three-team deal, should the Hawks be that third team? There are a multitude of reasons why it doesn't make sense to add Butler to Atlanta's roster. However, Atlanta could use their position as the third team to fill some roster needs.

While there are not an abundance of destinations that both make sense for Butler and can execute the trade, one of those teams is the Orlando Magic. The Magic have largely weathered the loss of their star forwards Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. They currently sit at the 4th seed, but they could use some additional help to keep distance between them and rest of the Eastern Conference.

Although trading Butler to an Eastern Conference rival would be a difficult decision for Miami to make, the combination of Orlando's cap situation and surplus of draft picks make them an excellent trade partner. From Atlanta's perspective, adding more guard depth who can give Trae Young some rest remains a priority. They are very dependent on Young and the season-ending injury of Kobe Bufkin has left them scrambling at that spot.

Given the needs of these respective teams, could a three-team deal come to fruition? Here is one possible framework for such a deal.

It should be noted that this is just a speculative and fun exercise to see what kind of moves can be made, not what I think the Hawks should do or will do. That is all.

Atlanta Hawks get: Anthony Black, Alec Burks

Orlando Magic get: Jimmy Butler, Garrison Mathews, David Roddy, Cody Zeller, 2027 2nd round pick (via LAC, from ATL), 2030 2nd round pick (via ATL)

Miami Heat get: Jonathan Isaac, Cole Anthony, Tristan Da Silva, 2025 1st round pick (via Orlando), 2025 2nd round pick (via BOS/MEM), 2026 2nd round pick, 2027 2nd round pick (via BOS)

Why the Hawks would do this trade: Black has struggled with a back injury as of late, but he showed clear signs of progress early in the year as a passer and shooter. His growing pains as a three-point shooter are noticeable, but his 6'7 frame and ability to find shooters at creative angles makes him a fascinating fit in Atlanta. He and Bufkin can grow into excellent, cost-controlled backcourt pieces for Atlanta. Furthermore, while uncomfortable to think about, it does give the Hawks some insurance if Young is moved to a new destination. Burks is a solid two-way guard who is currently shooting 46.4% from deep on around three attempts a game. He's an easy player to fit into Atlanta's rotation.

Why the Hawks would not do this trade: Black's shooting is still coming along and his presence on the roster raises interesting questions about the future of Bufkin in ATL. Furthermore, he doesn't have the cleanest injury record. Furthemore, Burks is not the most consistent shooter and shot 30% from the arc just a year ago when he was with the Knicks.

Why the Magic would do this trade: Adding Butler as a complementary player to two do-it-all wings in Wagner and Banchero gives the Magic another ball-handler and smart decision maker who can create his own shot. In the wake of the Jalen Suggs injury, this could be very important. He isn't necessarily a great shooter, but Butler usually chooses his spots well and also holds up on defense. While Isaac is the more athletic and versatile defender, Butler can stay on the floor in the postseason. Mathews adds shooting to a Magic lineup that desperately needs it while Roddy and Zeller add additional depth to Orlando's roster.

Why the Magic would not do this trade: They'd have a pretty big question at the backup point guard spot if they traded both Anthony and Black. Furthermore, there's the question of whether Butler would adjust well to a scaled-down role and if he can handle deferring to Wagner/Banchero. His skillset might also overlap with Kentavius Caldwell-Pope's to the point where both players' impact is muted.

Why the Heat would do this trade: By doing this deal, Miami can turn itself into an elite defense with the combination of Isaac and Adebayo. Anthony has flashed at times as a sixth man this year and stepped in well during the many injuries Orlando has dealt with this year. He's fairly one-dimensional, but gives the Heat an easy replacement for eventually moving off Terry Rozier. Howard is a 6'8 wing who has shown growth as a scorer during his sophomore season. If Miami can coach up his defense, they could turn him into another developmental success.

Why the Heat would not do this trade: Isaac is extremely limited on offense, struggles to stay healthy and the Heat don't have an abundance of great passers on their roster to set him up. They also already have two score-first guards in Herro and Rozier, so Anthony doesn't add much of a new skillset to their roster. They could also see only one first-round pick as a very paltry price to pay for Butler.

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