RealGM

Ill offer this deal for:
-Houston to land Jimmy Butler
-Miami to get back a younger wing along with draft picks and tax/salary/relief
-Los Angeles Lakers to get a veteran big
-Pistons leverage cap space to get a veteran forward and picks

To Houston (Trade Brooks, Adams, Green, 3 1sts)
-Jimmy Butler (1 year, $48.8 million plus P.O.)

To Miami (Trade Butler, waive Bryant + Larson + Richardson)
-Dillon Brooks (3 years, $63.3 million)
-Gabe Vincent (2 years, $21.5 million)
-Christian Wood (1 year, $3 million)
-Wendel Moore Jr. (1 year, $2.5 million)
-2027 Phoenix 1st round pick
-2028 Houston 1st round pick
-2029 Houston or Dallas or Phoenix 1st round pick (2nd most favourable)


To Los Angeles (Trade Vincent, Wood, 2 2nds)
-Steven Adams (1 year, $12.8 million)

To Detroit (Trade Moore)
-Jeff Green (1 year, $8 million)
-2025 Lakers 2nd round pick
-2027 Lakers 2nd round pick

Why?
-The Rockets add Butler to solidify themselves as a top 4 seed in west for moving forward as the deal allows them to keep existing rookie contract players
-The Heat move Butler for younger starting calibre wing, 3 picks and tax relief
-The Lakers add a veteran big while opening up a roster spot and salary relief for 2025-26
-Pistons leverage their immediate cap space to add a veteran wing and 2 2nds

- Dillon Brooks is a key piece to what we are doing, not really interested in moving him.
- Jimmy Butler is excellent, but for all intents and purposes, he is a rental. We are not paying him max money into his late 30s. He can go to Brooklyn.
- 3 firsts for a meaningless rental for Butler is a non starter.

Max I would give would be 1 protected first or perhaps Cam Whitmore for a Butler rental, and that would be with non rotation filler salary, not key pieces like Brooks for FVV.

This is a vast overpay for a Butler rental. Not sure the Rockets need to send 1sts on top of Green and Brooks, but if they do it should be a single protected 1st at most.

Also would be good to figure out a way for Miami to avoid cutting Larsson. That kid is good and locked up for several years.

3 firsts for Butler at his age and injury concerns seems a bit excessive, and I say that as someone who wants to see Houston fail

Way too much for Butler. If the Rockets re-sign him, they won’t be able to sign their core players. If they do not re-sign him, he is a rental. It’s pointless to trade assets for him.

Miami is not cutting Larrson and Houston isn't giving up 3 first round picks for Jimmy.

DET getting 2 SRPs for taking on $8M in salary seems close/reasonable based on July 2024 trades.

On the theory that simpler is better, Moore can be dropped from the trade. DET doesn't need to send out any money to take back less than $10M in salary.

Unless someone actually wants Moore Jr and wants to throw us a minor incentive, which I'd be totally fine with

Kiss of Death wrote:Way too much for Butler. If the Rockets re-sign him, they won’t be able to sign their core players. If they do not re-sign him, he is a rental. It’s pointless to trade assets for him.

The OP is predicated on the Rockets and Butler mutually wanting a 2 year extension after this season thereby not affecting the Rockets long term cap flexibility.

The picks added were a framework. The Rockets could put heaving protection on their own 2028 pick (1-20 protected or extinguished) and make the Suns pick due if it’s outside top 10 or 15.

Why do we want Adams?

He isnt a cheap salary and is he even good anymore?

Injury issues

AND were giving up 2nds and Wood (who I view as being a useful floor spacing big when hes back)

If I want anyone in this deal that isnt Jimmy, I may want Brooks

if Jimmy was going to GS, I would then want to target Wiggins