Getty Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat.
The Miami Heat are once again dealing with injury issues to star Jimmy Butler. Against the Pacers on Friday, Butler appeared to roll his ankle in the first half, forcing him out of action for the rest of the game.
It’s a concerning development, especially since Butler has already missed significant time with a knee injury. But health woes like this also shouldn’t be all that surprising, considering Butler is 33 and in the midst of his 11th season in the league.
That age concern prompted CBS Sports analyst Sam Quinn to suggest the team engage the Atlanta Hawks on a trade deal for Trae Young built around Butler.
“The sneaky alternative [to a Young deal involving Tyler Herro] would be to sniff around Jimmy Butler deals. Young is 24. Adebayo is 25. Butler is 33 and constantly injured. Would it be worthwhile to deal Butler to a contender now, while his value is still relatively high and before his contract becomes too cumbersome, and then flip whatever they get in a Young package? In the grand scheme of things, probably. Young and Adebayo is the foundation of a half-decade or more of contention.”
“Half-decade of contention” should be music to Miami’s ears. The Heat have missed the playoffs just six times this century, an impressive achievement that speaks to Miami’s thirst to compete every year.
Can Trae Young Kickstart the Heat’s Season?
At 16-17, the season so far has been a disappointing one for the Miami Heat. The team has serious age concerns — Miami is the second-oldest team in the league — and could desperately use an infusion of young talent.
As it stands, Miami’s best young pieces are Tyler Herro, Bam Adebayo, and Nikola Jovic. Jovic, just a rookie, has flashed potential this season, stepping up in key ways during the Heat’s injury-riddled November.
Jimmy Butler apparently rolled his ankle in the first half. Heat have not offered an injury update.
But Young might not come in right away and revitalize the Heat. The two-time All-Star is in the midst of the worst season of his career, shooting just 30 percent from three and 41 percent from the field.
But just a season ago, Young was netting 38 percent of his 8.0 threes attempted per game. His addition could be a boon for a team that ranks 21st in three-point percentage this season. And his potential partnership with Adebayo is tantalizing. Just like the Harden-Embiid combo on the Philadelphia 76ers, Young and Adebayo could formulate one of the league’s most lethal pick-and-roll combinations.
Would Young Fit Miami’s Style of Play?
But it’s not all hunky-dory. Young plays a very specific brand of heliocentric basketball that is a bit taboo in South Beach. But as Quinn explained, don’t look at Young as an upgrade necessarily. Rather, he’s simply a gamechanger.
“Treating Young as an upgrade is perhaps the wrong way to look at such an acquisition. He’s a paradigm shift. Adding him fundamentally changes the way you are able to play offense.”
Miami isn’t a team that prides itself on spending years in the draft lottery and developing high-end talent. Rather, the Heat (like the Lakers) go out and add established pieces to whatever core Erik Spoelstra & Co. have cobbled together.
That’s exactly what could happen for the Heat in a potential Young trade. Trust the coaching staff to pull a rabbit out of a hat and make the addition work. They’ve somehow managed it so far.