New 3-Team Trade Proposal Sends Jimmy Butler to Contender, Gives Heat Flexibility

Any potential trade involving Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler likely requires a third team to make salaries and assets work.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks believes he’s found the perfect three-team trade—for the Heat, that is.
Butler reportedly prefers joining Devin Booker and Kevin Durant on the Phoenix Suns. However, the Suns need to trade Bradley Beal to ensure salaries work, and the Heat reportedly have no interest in adding the three-time All-Star.
Enter the Memphis Grizzlies, an aspiring Western Conference contender. Plus, we can’t forget the lowly Washington Wizards.
Marks’ suggestion is as follows:
Miami Heat receive: Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart, Grizzlies forward/center Brandon Clarke, Grizzlies guard/forward John Konchar, 2025 top-8 protected first-round pick
Memphis Grizzlies receive: Heat forward Jimmy Butler, Heat guard/forward Josh Richardson
Washington Wizards receive: Grizzlies guard/forward Luke Kennard, 2026 second-round pick (via Los Angeles Lakers), cash considerations
ESPN’s Tim Bontemps previously reported the Heat want a combination of players who can help now, movable-short term salary, young players, and draft capital. Smart and Clarke can each become free agents after next season.
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Miami suspended Butler on Monday for the third time this month. It is unclear if he has played his final game for the Heat.
“The complexities in Miami revolve around Butler, his desire to be traded, the Heat not compromising their future in a trade, and more importantly, the consequences if he is on the roster after the deadline,” Marks wrote.
The trade deadline is next Thursday.
ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported Monday the Heat aren’t wasting any time trying to find a suitor for Butler.
“I’m told the Heat remain engaged with multiple teams on potential Jimmy Butler deals,” Charania said. “That remain will so over the next week and a half.”
But?
“They have not yet received an offer that matches their asking price,” Charania continued.
PERKINS WANTS BUTLER IN MEMPHIS
Former NBA champion Kendrick Perkins agrees Butler should join a Western Conference contender. He’s just not sure the Suns are the right team.
Instead, Perkins wants to see Butler trade his Heat threads for a Grizzlies uniform.
“I feel like this is the best destination for Jimmy Butler,” Perkins said Monday.
There’s one problem. A narrative persists that Butler doesn’t want to play in Memphis.
Perkins said he’s not sure why Butler wouldn’t want to join a Grizzlies team with an established young core.
“If you think about the core four that they would have—Desmond Bane, Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Jimmy Butler … I might pick the Grizzlies to go to the Finals if Jimmy Butler was on this team,” Perkins declared.
Memphis entered play Tuesday at 31-16, only one game behind Houston for second place in the Western Conference.
COULD BULLS ENTER BUTLER SWEEPSTAKES?
ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst reported Monday the Chicago Bulls are “absolutely involved” in trade conversations involving Butler.
There’s a catch, though. Although Butler played for the Bulls from 2011-17, Windhorst said a reunion isn’t on the table.
“Not that Jimmy Butler would end in Chicago,” Windhorst said on The Hoop Collective, “But they would get involved in the trade.”
If the Bulls do get involved, they’d do so as a third team to help make salaries work. Windhorst pitched the idea the Bulls could acquire Beal, who has a no-trade clause and a $53.6 million cap hit next season.
Beal also owns a $57.1 million player option for the 2027 season, the final year of the five-year contract he signed in 2022.
Windhorst acknowledged he can’t see the Bulls doing that deal.
“Maybe it’s never gonna happen, but it’s been discussed,” Windhorst said.
Bontemps didn’t hide his opinion.
“I hope they don’t because it’d be one of the dumbest trades ever,” Bontemps argued.
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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.