Miami Heat star named ‘realistic’ trade target for young Western Conference teams

The Miami Heat look like an average team a few weeks into the regular season, which means they need to choose a direction for their future.

Either make a blockbuster trade at the February deadline to help compete for a championship next to Jimmy Butler, or start rebuilding Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro. The Heat aren’t as worrisome as the Milwaukee Bucks or Philadelphia 76ers at No. 10 in the Eastern Conference, but also doesn’t seem like a threat to the reigning champion Boston Celtics or other title favorites.

If the Heat front office decides moving on from Butler is their preferred approach, the Houston Rockets are a team to watch. Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes named Butler as the ‘realistic’ trade target for the Rockets.

“Houston has an abundance of young players who need rotation minutes and may not be able to accommodate them this season. Butler could be had for two or three of them in a consolidation trade. The trick would be figuring out which combination of Amen Thompson, Reed Sheppard, Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason or Cam Whitmore would be outsiders,” Hughes wrote. “The Rockets should probably take Thompson, Sheppard and Smith off the table.”

Hughes hit on one point: Don’t include rookie Sheppard in a deal that doesn’t get them Giannis Antetokounmpo. Outside of the former Kentucky Wildcat, Houston’s front office should be willing to part with any part of their roster to add Butler.

With the addition of the 35-year-old, the Rockets could join the crowd of candidates in the Western Conference.

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