Despite Pat Riley’s recent comments to the contrary, Jimmy Butler has made it clear to the Miami Heat and to the public that he wants to play for another team as soon as possible.
Butler pulled no punches following Thursday’s loss to the Indiana Pacers, saying he wants to "get my joy back from playing basketball. Wherever that may be. We'll find out here pretty soon."
When asked if he could get his joy back in Miami, Butler responded, "Probably not."
"Probably not."
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 3, 2025
—Jimmy Butler when asked if he could get his joy back in Miami. pic.twitter.com/5gahEJxWM7
Butler has played for four teams in his 14-year NBA career, and his recent comments point strongly to him adding a fifth team to his resume by next month’s trade deadline. Which uniform will he don at season’s end?
These are the NBA odds for Jimmy Butler’s next team, should he not stay with Miami.
Jimmy Butler's next team odds (if not the Heat)
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
 Golden State Warriors |
-200 |
 Houston Rockets |
+400 |
 Dallas Mavericks |
+500 |
 Denver Nuggets |
+700 |
 Oklahoma City Thunder |
+700 |
 Brooklyn Nets |
+1000 |
Odds as of 1-3-2025.
Favorites to acquire Jimmy Butler
Golden State Warriors (-200)
Will Steph Curry get to team up with another disgruntled superstar before he calls it quits? That’s what the oddsmakers think, as the Golden State Warriors are heavy favorites to land Jimmy Buckets.
According to Brett Siegel of Clutch Points, the Heat would want a trade package that includes Jonathan Kuminga. The 22-year-old Kuminga is averaging a career-best 16.9 points and 5.1 rebounds in his fourth season, and he’s expressed discontentment in Golden State dating back to last season.
A trade for Butler would offer the Warriors an excellent two-way option to pair with Curry and establish the team as a legitimate playoff threat. Trading for Kuminga, meanwhile, would give the Heat a young and emerging two-way player who could contribute meaningfully right away. Win-win, right?
Houston Rockets (+400)
The Houston Rockets may be the team best equipped to entice Riley to deal Butler. The Rockets are surprisingly the No. 3 seed in a competitive Western Conference, but they’re looking up at a powerhouse in Oklahoma City.
Houston’s roster is full of depth at nearly every position, and the team could reasonably trade multiple young pieces and draft picks to acquire Butler without sacrificing too much in the process. Would the addition of Butler to pair with Alperen Sengun, Fred VanVleet, and Jalen Green be enough to make Houston a title contender? Rockets GM Rafael Stone is surely willing to gamble to find out.
Dallas Mavericks (+500)
The defending Western Conference champions made key moves at last season’s trade deadline that were the catalyst for their run to the Finals. P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford were instrumental in Dallas’ postseason success. Will the Dallas Mavericks be looking for another major shakeup this season?
The Mavs have solid depth at multiple positions, but this is still a top-heavy team behind Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Will Dallas value a Big 3 that includes Butler over maintaining substantial depth? If the price is right, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Mavs pull the trigger on this trade.
