Getty Julius Randle tries to hang onto the ball under pressure in a January 27 game against the Miami Heat.
Whether a “bromance” or a rivalry, Jimmy Butler‘s relationship with New York Knicks‘ head coach Tom Thibodeau is the gift that keeps on giving. Could it lead to a reunion in the Big Apple?
Stephen Noh proposed a blockbuster trade between the Knicks and Miami Heat in a May 9 article for Sporting News.
In the three-team deal, New York would send Julius Randle, along with three first-round picks and a second-round pick via the Detroit Pistons in exchange for the six-time All-Star.
Bojan Bogdanovic would be reacquired by the Pistons in the trade, to make the salary match for the Knicks.
Butler is under contract in Miami through the 2024-2025 season, with a $53-million player option for 2025-2026.
He averaged 20.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1.3 steals in 60 games this year. Butler offers another defender, shot creator, and overall star power that New York could benefit from adding in the offseason.
“New York is so reliant on Jalen Brunson to produce everything for its offense,” Noh wrote. “Butler would give the Knicks a second option that could get to his spots on the floor, along with an absolutely deadly closer at the end of games.”
But is that worth the price tag? And would Butler entertain playing for the Knicks?
Knicks Missing Randle in Playoffs
Randle hasn’t suited up for the Knicks in the postseason after suffering a season-ending injury on January 27.
It’s the second-consecutive playoffs where he’s dealt with an injury. And for a second-straight year, New York is struggling because of it.
Is that reason enough to trade him?
Noh thinks so, saying Butler is a clear upgrade.
“He (Randle) is a significantly worse player than Butler,” Noh wrote. “But the main draw would be a chance to take a small step back, add picks to bring in another player down the road and get salary relief to usher in the next era of Heat basketball.”
Tied 2-2 in their Conference Semifinals series with the Indiana Pacers, the Knicks are missing all of Bogdanovic, Mitchell Robinson, OG Anunoby, and Randle.
Jalen Brunson is playing through right foot soreness, and hasn’t looked himself.
Randle would do more than move the needle in a series against Indiana, who boasts a front court of Myles Turner and Pascal Siakam.
Randle’s fifth year in New York ended abruptly, after just 46 games, but it wasn’t without results. He averaged 24 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 5 assists per game.
But all is likely irrelevant unless Butler himself, doesn’t have interest in the Knicks.
Miami Will Consider Butler’s Opinion on Future Destination
If it comes to a point where Miami is sincerely open to trading Butler, and so far there are no indications, expect Pat Riley to hear him out on preferred destinations.
And some recent offseason comments between him and his former head coach make it sound like he’s not interested in a reunion.
Home for the offseason, after the Heat were eliminated by the Boston Celtics in round one, Butler called out Josh Hart, the Knicks, and their head coach in a recent video.
Thibodeau responded on May 5, speaking with media ahead of his team’s second-round matchup with the Pacers.
When Butler was mentioned, the head coach simply responded “Who?” before taking a jab at his former All-Star forward.
“I don’t know him,” Thibodeau told reporters. “But I’ll beat him to a pulp.”
The comment is in reference to Butler’s, directly paraphrased from the May 4 video that circled social media.
“I love Thibs but I don’t want Thibs,” Butler said. “Thibs, I love you baby! I wanna beat you, to a pulp. You want me, I don’t want you. It’s like a one-sided relationship, you in love with me. And I love you, but I’m not in love with you. You know what I’m saying?”
It’s just the latest installment of a storied relationship between two of today’s NBA greats.
Whether the next could take place in New York, with both a part of the Knicks, remains undetermined. But unlikely by most accounts.
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