Inside The Heat

ESPN Praises Heat Rookie Amid Latest Jimmy Butler Trade Rumors

Jake Elman

Nov 12, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Miami Heat guard Pelle Larsson (9) dribbles in the first half against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Nov 12, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Miami Heat guard Pelle Larsson (9) dribbles in the first half against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Another round of Jimmy Butler trade rumors makes it easy to forget about Miami Heat rookie Pelle Larsson. 

ESPN’s Tim Bontemps sees no reason why we can’t discuss both storylines.

ESPN listed the Heat 15th in their Dec. 25 power rankings. This week’s theme featured ESPN staffers discussing each team’s “young riser,” a strange combination of developing players, established starters, and even a proven two-time All-Star in Grizzlies guard Ja Morant. 

Bontemps chose Larsson, the 44th pick in June’s draft, as the Heat’s young riser. Larsson averages 5.7 points and 1.9 rebounds in nearly 17 minutes.

“Larsson has proven to be a reliable 3-point shooter and earned some fairly consistent minutes in coach Erik Spoelstra’s rotation -- no easy feat -- as part of a new crop of youngsters beginning to take on bigger roles this season,” Bontemps wrote. 

The praise for Larsson’s long-range shooting is admittedly strange. Larsson’s 34.4 three-point shooting percentage ranks near the bottom of the Heat roster, as do his 1.9 three-point attempts. 

Either way, Bontempts likes what he’s seen from Larsson thus far. 

“It’s a promising development as the Heat potentially start to edge into a post-Jimmy Butler world either this season or next,” Bontemps said. 

Larsson’s continued progress is vital as the Heat potentially explore dealing Butler ahead of the Feb. 6 deadline. ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported Wednesday that Butler prefers being traded; Charania previously linked Butler to the Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, and Phoenix Suns.

We’ll see if Larsson takes on a more significant role after backup guard Dru Smith’s season-ending Achilles injury. Larsson recently missed four games with an ankle injury but returned to the court last Saturday. 

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Jake Elman works as a contributing writer to Miami Heat on SI. He can be reached at jakeelman97@gmail.com or follow him on X @JakeElman97.

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Jake Elman
JAKE ELMAN

Jake Elman is a veteran sports journalist and graduate of Florida Atlantic University’s journalism program. In recent years, he has covered the NFL for EndGame360 and served as the sports content lead for ExpressVPN. He also covered the Lane Kiffin years at FAU for the Palm Beach Post.