Making sense of the Jimmy Butler saga and how it could impact the Lakers

Jimmy Butler and the Lakers have nothing to do with one another... Right?
ByMaxwell Ogden|
Los Angeles Lakers v Miami Heat
Los Angeles Lakers v Miami Heat | Megan Briggs/GettyImages

By most accounts, what's transpiring between Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat should have no impact on the Los Angeles Lakers. Butler and the Heat are on the fast track to a bitter end, but the Lakers don't appear to be a realistic suitor for his talents.

For as true as that may be, the fallout of the Butler saga in Miami could cause reverberations that affect Los Angeles in unexpected ways.

For those unfamiliar, Butler has requested a trade from the Heat and contributed to a media circus for the ages. That includes fines, suspensions, and a new development that could alter the way the Lakers approach the news of his availability.

According to Brian Windhorst of ESPN, the Heat have lowered their asking price for Butler as they search for a mutually beneficial end to their relationship.

With this in mind, it's hard to approach the week of the trade deadline without asking the question: Could Butler become a Laker at this new affordable price?

Jimmy Butler asking price decreased—could the Lakers be a factor?

Butler is owed $48,798,677 for the 2024-25 season, which is one of the primary reasons he hasn't yet been traded. It'd require teams to part with multiple valued assets to match that salary figure, and few are flexible enough to complete the trade without providing identical money.

As it pertains to the Lakers, that means that any trade that doesn't include Anthony Davis, LeBron James, or Austin Reaves would need to feature a minimum of five of their current players.

In a hypothetical situation, Los Angeles could offer a package that included Max Christie, Rui Hachimura, Jalen Hood-Schifino, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Gabe Vincent. Even still, the money wouldn't perfectly align, and it's unclear if Miami would even entertain the offer.

A three-team trade would thus become an absolute necessity to make the salaries align and save Los Angeles from giving up at least two starters and two key reserves.

Perhaps there's an argument for that trade working in Los Angeles' favor. After all, a four-man core of Butler, Davis, James, and Reaves would hold up against just about any team in the NBA, especially when one considers postseason experience and success.

James is a four-time NBA champion who has already won a title with Davis, while Butler led Miami to two NBA Finals appearances and Reaves routinely steps up in the postseason.

Unfortunately, this trade would gut the already limited depth that Los Angeles brings to the table. It'd also be giving up a considerable amount of talent, as well as potential draft picks, for a player who could leave via free agency as soon as July.

There's an obvious case for going all-in on Butler and pushing for what could be one last title with James in star-caliber form, but even with a lower asking price, the Lakers are left with two realistic options.

Either they gut the roster for Butler's expiring contract or they pass on the opportunity to add a proven talent. There's no in-between.

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