A fascinating trade proposal has the Dallas Mavericks completing yet another league-altering blockbuster deal by acquiring Miami Heat All-Star guard Jimmy Butler.
On Sunday, the Mavericks shocked the NBA by sending franchise star Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in a three-team deal involving the Utah Jazz. The Mavs got All-Star big man Anthony Davis from LA as part of the return.
The Lakers look like the early winners of the deal, but Dallas GM Nico Harrison still has time to ease the frustration among Mavericks fans. One way to do so would be to complete a blockbuster deal for Jimmy Butler and build a core around him, Davis, and Kyrie Irving.
Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey proposed a compelling trade scenario that has Dallas acquiring Miami’s disgruntled All-Star in exchange for Klay Thompson, Daniel Gafford, P.J. Washington and first-round pick swaps in 2026 and 2031:
“They just made the NBA Finals with the bulk of their current roster. And landing Butler would probably mean unloading last season’s acquisitions, P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford. Those two were integral in Dallas’ 2024 playoff run.
The Mavericks are also light on draft capital. So if Butler’s market heats up, plenty of teams can probably outbid them.
But the best offer Dallas can put together (without including Kyrie Irving) is at least competitive. And there’s a world in which Butler is the short-term upgrade necessary to push the Mavs to the one spot they haven’t been yet.”
"I'd be interested if Anthony Davis is a piece that ultimately the Mavericks potentially use to try to get Jimmy Butler."@AshNicoleMoss doesn't think the Mavs are done making moves 👀 pic.twitter.com/UttyJJoyzn
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) February 2, 2025
Bailey made this proposal before the Doncic blockbuster, but it still makes sense for Dallas to pull off the move anyway. By essentially swapping out Doncic to get Davis and Butler, Dallas would have a “big three” instead of a “big two.”
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Miami & Jimmy Butler Are Headed For An Ugly Divorce
Pat Riley and the Heat now have two days to move Jimmy Butler with Thursday’s trade deadline looming. They obviously won’t want to risk losing him for nothing (he has a player option for 2025-26), so expect Butler to be dealt at some point between today and Thursday’s deadline.
