Oddsmakers Set Favorites To Land Jimmy Butler In A Trade

Things just haven't gone according to plan in South Beach this season. The Miami Heat are reeling, on a 7-game losing streak, and we know that the only goal of Jimmy Butler and Co. is to win a championship. They've been to two Finals in Butler's time there, but have come up short each time. This year they're sitting at 7th spot in the Eastern Conference, barely above .500. They are clearly not in the upper echelon of the East, and are not currently considered a championship contender. 

With that, ESPN's Kendrick Perkins says “The Miami Heat need to do right by Jimmy and trade him to a team that actually could compete for a title this season.”

It sounds pretty unlikely, but that has immediately sent shockwaves through... well, at least, the betting world. @BovadaOfficial has posted its odds on Jimmy's next landing spot, should the Heat pull off the unexpected and trade him:

The New York Knicks are considered the favorites to acquire Jimmy Butler if the Miami Heat decide to trade him, per @BovadaOfficial

New York Knicks: +210
Philadelphia 76ers: +225
Sacramento Kings: +325
Brooklyn Nets: +475
Dallas Mavericks: +600
Golden State Warriors: +700
New… pic.twitter.com/CCo5Q7RsHQ

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) January 31, 2024

And not surprisingly, the New York Knicks are considered the betting favorites to land the Heat superstar, at +210. The Philadelphia 76ers are close behind at +225.

Then comes a shocking entry, the Sacramento Kings, as the third-favorite, at +325. The Brooklyn Nets follow at +475, then the Dallas Mavericks at +600 and rounding out the top six, the Golden State Warriors at +700.

Each of those teams has at least one or two All-Star players, which would obviously be needed to get a deal done with Miami, both for salary-matching purposes, and simply to convince the Heat to deal their franchise player. 

The Knicks, for their part, do hold one ace in the hole, and that's head coach Tom Thibodeau, who is obviously a perfect fit for Butler, and the two were together at two stops, with the Chicago Bulls where Jimmy started his career and became an All-Star under Thibs, and then the Minnesota Timberwolves (until Butler forced his way out of town by causing a ruckus during training camp). 

At the end of the day, it would be an earth-shattering shock to see the Heat trade Butler. But hey, this is the NBA, stranger things have happened. 

 Photo: Christopher Creveling-USA TODAY Sports