Can we just take a step back here for a second and marvel at the Jimmy Butler sign-and-trade like it was hanging in the Louvre for a moment?
Seriously! It’s a miracle that the Miami Heat — who were stuck and looked like they will be stuck for a while — pulled this off. The franchise is in the middle of an extremely mediocre era. They’re saddled with some good but not great players who are getting paid a lot of money for their services, and only the 2020 offseason looked like it would jumpstart a rebuild. For now, it looked like they would just plod through the next couple of seasons, destined to just miss the playoffs or be bounced out of the first round.
But then suddenly it seemed like Butler wanted to be in South Beach. That was all fine and good, but how would Riley be able to pull the strings on an overpaid roster to get the fiery forward to Miami?
Heat get Butler and Meyers Leonard
76ers get Josh Richardson
Clippers get Moe Harkless and 2023 first-round pick with protections
Blazers get Hassan Whiteside
First off, I love that trade for everyone. The Blazers get a rim protector while Jusuf Nurkic heals. The Sixers get back a terrific guard who’s a force on both ends of the floor. The Clips end up with Harkless, who can bring 3-and-D and Kawhi Leonard recruitment skills to L.A.
The Heat giving up Richardson — their leading scorer last season — will hurt. For all of his struggles, Whiteside is a premiere rim protector, so maybe the hope is Bam Adebayo takes the next step. There’s a mishmash of decisions to be made about the backcourt (does Justise Winslow continue running the point with Goran Dragic healthy?).
But seriously! Riley got a star despite the hurdles presented to him by the salary cap. It’s an incredible accomplishment we all need to applaud. And I kind of wonder if he’s not done yet.
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