The NBA Trade Deadline has hours remaining on February 8 and the New York Knicks are expected to be active in talks. They sit at No. 4 in the Eastern Conference and are one game out of the No. 2 seed. With a wide range of possibilities, one proposed blockbuster trade sends the Knicks Jimmy Butler of the Miami Heat for Julius Randle and more.
Ben Rohrbach of Yahoo Sports gave five blockbuster trades he’d love to see. In this deal, the Knicks would trade Julius Randle, Evan Fournier, a 2024 first-round pick, 2026 first-round pick, 2027 first-round pick swap (New York), and a 2025 first-round pick (Milwaukee Bucks via New York). They’d receive Butler in return.
“Pat Riley might rather sell his soul than complete this deal, but the Knicks are one star short of serious title contention, and in order to get them there, I’m leaning harder into head coach Tom Thibodeau’s maniacal mission and delivering him a favorite son — Butler, a bully who followed Thibs from Chicago to Minnesota.
“I cannot even fathom how frightened opponents might be walking into Madison Square Garden, getting hit with a wave of Butler, Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and every other dog protecting Thibodeau’s backyard. This is a New York fever dream and maybe Boston’s nightmare.”
Butler is known as a fierce competitor and someone who can help his team win in the postseason.
Would the Miami Heat Ever Make This Trade?
It’s tough to imagine a scenario where the Heat would make this trade. Not only would trading him to the New York Knicks be interesting with them being in the same conference, but he’s clearly the best player on the team. When they have Butler, Miami is a legitimate championship contender, as he proved last season and in the bubble.
However, the Heat have struggled again in the regular season, winning just four out of their last 10 and holding a 28-24 record.
Rohrbach adds his reasoning for the Heat completing this trade.
“Why would the Heat do this deal? Butler has led them to three straight Eastern Conference finals, including two NBA Finals, but he is 34 years old, and they are hovering around .500 again. There is a cliff ahead, and Miami might want to get off it before Butler picks up his $52.4 million player option on the 2025-26 season.
“In the process, the Heat would get all they need to chase Miami’s next superstar — the unprotected rights to four straight first-round picks, plus Randle, who, need we remind you, is a two-time All-NBA performer.”
Is Butler an Upgrade Over Julius Randle?
The New York Knicks wouldn’t just say yes to this deal as Randle’s played well throughout the past few seasons. He’s been named All-NBA twice in the past four seasons and an All-Star in three of those four seasons.
During the 2023-24 season, the 29-year-old Randle is averaging 24 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 5 assists. In the 2022-23 playoffs, Butler averaged 26.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists, compared to Randle’s 16.6 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists.
The move would make the Knicks a better playoff team if Butler continued to play the way he did in future playoffs. However, moving four first-round picks and Randle is too much in this scenario.
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Blockbuster Knicks Pitch Sends Julius Randle, 4 Picks for Miami Heat Star