Trade speculation surrounding Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler won’t end until the organization makes a decision at February’s trade deadline.

A handful of teams with the potential to compete for a championship would pick up the phone in hopes of landing Butler. He is one of the league’s top playoff risers, leading the Heat to multiple NBA Finals appearances in a short span (2020 and 2023).

One of the teams sure to express interest in acquiring Butler would be the youthful Houston Rockets. Houston arguably has too many talented pieces on their roster, which can often cause issues down the stretch in tight games.

Bleacher Report proposed the following deal between the Heat and Rockets:

Heat receive: Fred VanVleet, Jabari Smith Jr., Cam Whitmore and a top-five protected 2031 first-round pick

Rockets receive: Jimmy Butler and Duncan Robinson

This potential blockbuster places the Heat in an arguably worse spot than they’re currently in. A roster centered around Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, and VanVleet is not strong enough to win a title but also not poor enough to win the draft lottery. Getting stuck in years of mediocrity is certainly a process Heat team president Pat Riley is looking to avoid.

Butler would instantly become the sole leader of the Rockets if VanVleet departs in the trade. He could guide Houston’s plethora of talent, such as Jalen Green, Reed Sheppard, and Alperen Sengun, while still having the opportunity to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

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Anthony Pasciolla works as a contributing writer to Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at [email protected] or follow him on X @AnthonyPasci.