These contenders could try to trade for Jimmy Butler.
The Miami Heat have an interesting decision to make about six-time NBA All-Star wing Jimmy Butler, who could generate some trade interest.
Butler, 35, could become a free agent this offseason if he opts out of his deal and it is unclear whether or not he projects as part of the future of the franchise for Miami.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Butler and Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram are two of the top names to watch before the NBA trade deadline.
Charania reported that Miami is “open to listening to offers” for Butler and potentially “making a deal” for the right offer. He added that it has become clear that Butler has expressed interest in three specific teams.
As of right now, it seems Butler will opt out of his deal and become a free agent at the end of the season. But if he is traded, here are some teams that Butler reportedly wants to play for this season.
Houston Rockets
Butler, who is originally from nearby Houston, could make sense as a consolidation piece on the Rockets. Back in October, the Rockets were mentioned by Marc Stein as a potential destination for Butler as well. It is unclear how many players in Houston’s young core they would be willing to part with, if any, for such a trade.
Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks have reportedly held interest in Butler since before he was even traded to the Heat in 2019. Earlier this month, HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto added that “within league circles, there’s been quiet discourse” about whether the Rockets or Mavericks could emerge as suitors for Butler. But there are financial hurdles that could complicate this fit.
Golden State Warriors
Earlier this season, per Scotto, the Warriors “were among the teams linked” to Butler in a potential trade. The Athletic’s Anthony Slater speculated that the Warriors would “enter the conversation” about Butler in May and Sam Amick reported interest in Butler by Golden State in September.
Good morning, Winners. Thanks so much for reading the Morning Win today. We appreciate you giving us a bit of your time.
You ever had a homie take over your birthday party? It’s not fun.
I remember when I was a kid at one of the last birthday parties I can remember. I got Pokémon Gold version —yes, this was a really long time ago, folks.
Everything around me stopped. I just had to play this game. Immediately. So I take it out of the box and throw it into my Gameboy Color — again, this was a very long time ago.
I’m playing it. The homies at the birthday party are watching. But then I come to a standstill. For some reason, I can’t win a certain battle. It’s embarrassing. So, one of the homies offers to give it a shot. And, whaddaya know, he wins! Nice. We can finally move on to the next town.
Except it’s not me who is moving to the next town. It’s the homie.
He just … didn’t give the game back. He kept playing until it was time for him to go. And I’m just watching. Watching someone else play my game and steal my thunder in front of the whole party, which was probably like three other kids at that point. The party was no longer mine — it was the other kid’s.
That was kind of how Klay Thompson’s return to the Chase Center on Tuesday went.
He may not play for the Warriors anymore, but those are still his fans, too. They showed him that much. He got the welcome home he always deserved. And, for a while there, it seemed like it would be his night. He hit six threes! He even did the Steph Curry shimmy after one of them.
But that’s not the most interesting story here. Rather, it’s the position Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes (17) find themselves in.
A year ago, Sanders’ team completely floundered down the stretch after a 4-1 start. This season, after a return to the Big 12, Colorado controls its own destiny moving forward. They could win the conference!
“A week after the committee seemingly told the Big 12 it was only getting one team in the playoff, here comes the Buffaloes to challenge the narrative. Up three spots to No. 17 in this week’s rankings, Colorado controls its own destiny with remaining games against Utah, Kansas and Oklahoma State. None of those are cakewalks, but the Buffs will be favored in each matchup.
If both Colorado and BYU are undefeated heading into the Big 12 championship game, would the committee favor a one-loss conference runner-up over a two-loss SEC or Big Ten team?
Let’s hope we find get to out.”
It’s not completely surprising that the Buffs are here. This team is much better than last season and the schedule is a bit more favorable.
Potentially having this team in the playoff would be a huge win for college football. It can legitimately happen! Let’s see if the Buffs can hold up.
Golden State Warriors superstar guard Steph Curry played against his former teammate Klay Thompson for the first time on Tuesday night, which is still such a strange thing to type.
The revered “Splash Brothers” won four NBA titles together in Golden State and will go down in history as one of the great duos on the basketball court.
However, Tuesday night’s NBA Cup game found Curry and the Warriors playing against Thompson and his new team, the Dallas Mavericks.
Very early in the contest, Curry actually hit a nice 3-point shot right over Thompson, which you really must see to believe given how weird it is.
This is going to take some getting used to; that’s for sure.
Dallas Mavericks superstar guard Klay Thompson returned to Golden State for the first time since leaving the Warriors this offseason on Tuesday night.
Of course, he was given a hero’s welcome by the Golden State fans in attendance after he joined the team in 2021 and helped bring four NBA titles to the franchise as one of the “Splash Brothers” opposite Steph Curry.
Warriors fans all wore captain’s hats to honor his “Captain Klay” nickname and gave him a wonderful standing ovation before the game.
You could tell just how much the moment meant to Thompson, who will most likely have his jersey retired one day as one of the franchise’s all-time great players.
While he was to play against Golden State after the celebration, this was such a cool moment for Thompson and his former team.
The 2024-25 NBA season has gotten underway, which means it’s time to watch Notre Dame’s two representatives. Neither player has exactly had a glowing start though.
[autotag]Pat Connaughton[/autotag] began his 10th NBA season by scoring nine points and grabbing four rebounds in the Milwaukee Bucks’ Oct. 23 season opening-win over the Philadelphia 76ers. He followed that up by shooting a combined 2 of 10 from the field in losses to the Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets. He’s averaging 5.0 points and 4.0 rebounds a game in this young season.
[autotag]Blake Wesley[/autotag] now is in his third season with the San Antonio Spurs. He tipped off his campaign with six points and two assists while losing to the Dallas Mavericks in the Oct. 24 season opener. He had a single field goal and two more assists in six minutes during an Oct. 26 victory over the Houston Rockets.
Wesley is averaging a mere 4.0 points and 0.5 rebounds a game over two contests, but he has the Spurs’ second-highest plus/minus through two games. Granted, that came entirely during the Mavericks game, but still:
Here’s to decent seasons from both Connaughton and Wesley.
Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes and opinions.
Led by perennial MVP candidate Luka Doncic and eight-time All-Star guard Kyrie Irving, the Dallas Mavericks are poised as serious contenders this season. With improved depth, they look even more dangerous than the last time around. By shedding $29 …
Led by perennial MVP candidate Luka Doncic and eight-time All-Star guard Kyrie Irving, the Dallas Mavericks are poised as serious contenders this season. With improved depth, they look even more dangerous than the last time around.
By shedding $29 million in salary from Tim Hardaway Jr and Josh Green, general manager Nico Harrison was able to add key pieces like Klay Thompson and Naji Marshall, ensuring Dallas remains an offensive powerhouse. Thompson, one of the game’s greatest shooters, joins Doncic and Irving to form a potentially lethal offensive trio. The floor spacing from Thompson and Irving will make it difficult for defenses to double-team Doncic without leaving open shooters.
Defensively, after acquiring Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington Jr., the Mavericks showed they could be a top defensive unit. Last year’s rookie standout Dereck Lively II, who impressed in the playoffs, and Marshall, replacing Derrick Jones Jr., will play key roles in maintaining a balanced attack on both ends of the court. With a strong core and key additions, Dallas is prepared for another deep playoff run and a legitimate championship push.
During a Wednesday appearance on The Tonight Show, Jayson Tatum predicted an NBA Finals rematch against two fellow Blue Devils next season.
The NBA Finals earlier this summer featured a trio of Blue Devils as former Duke basketball star [autotag]Jayson Tatum[/autotag] won his first championship with the Boston Celtics. According to Tatum, fans shouldn’t be surprised if there’s more of the same next summer.
During a Wednesday night appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Tatum predicted that his Celtics would face the Dallas Mavericks again in the 2025 NBA Finals.
“It’s going to be a rematch,” Tatum told Fallon. “We’re going to play Dallas again.”
The Mavericks, whom Boston beat in five games during the championship series, featured former Blue Devils [autotag]Kyrie Irving[/autotag] and [autotag]Dereck Lively II[/autotag]. Irving, who won a ring with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016, averaged 22.1 points and 5.1 assists per game in the postseason while Lively put up 7.9 points and 7.4 rebounds as a rookie.
Tatum led the Celtics with 25.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game through the postseason en route to the title.
The Mavericks reached the Finals as the fifth seed in the Western Conference last season, so this prediction likely banks on either Irving and superstar guard Luka Doncic taking a step forward as a duo with a full offseason under their belts or Lively emerging as an All-Star caliber big in year two. However, Dallas did beat the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder and third-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves to reach the championship series, so they proved their postseason mettle.
Dereck Lively II has a lot of time to address these problems in his game, too.
Dallas Mavericks big man Dereck Lively II recently turned some heads due to comments he made about Minnesota Timberwolves star Rudy Gobert.
During a recent conversation with G League guard Theo Pinson, the Dallas center shared an observation that has he had about his Western Conference frontcourt rival.
Lively explained that the players who make the most money earn the most playing time. Pinson asserted that Gobert was essentially unplayable during the postseason and whether or not that was true, Lively emphatically agreed.
Pinson added that Gobert needed to sort out those problems, and Lively said that the three-time NBA All-Star was unable to do that. It was an interesting conversation:
Can't stop laughing after D-Live said "zero" & "and he didn't" 💀
Some people have correctly pointed out that Lively has already faced similar issues during his young professional career. That should not disqualify him from making these arguments about Gobert, though.
Indeed, these two players come from a very similar archetype as defensive anchors with offensive limitations. Both are phenomenal rim protectors and neither has proven able to spread the floor as shooters.
Certain fans may feel that if Lively has those same problems, how is it fair for him to point fingers at Gobert? But the reality is that it actually makes the former Duke standout uniquely qualified to speak on the matter.
Gobert is a four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year who is far more accomplished than the 20-year-old big man. But the 2023 NBA Draft lottery pick, who earned All-Rookie Second-Team honors last season, has a chance to achieve marvelous things on the basketball court.
It is certainly possible that Lively could eventually surpass the impact Gobert has had in his professional career. However, he will need to figure out a few of the same things that the Minnesota big man has struggled with in order to reach that mountain top.
Otherwise, he could end up as a solid regular-season player incapable of matching that positive contribution in the playoffs. Fortunately, however, he has plenty of time to sort it out during what projects as a very long stay in the NBA.
Do you think we will ever see the two best European players on the same team?
Welcome to Layup Lines, For the Win’s basketball newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Have feedback for the Layup Lines Crew? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey. Now, here’s Bryan Kalbrosky.
It may sound like Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki is writing fan fiction about Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic as teammates.
But the reality is that Nowitzki’s dream of seeing Doncic and Jokic on the same team one day, while improbable, is not impossible. During a send-off for longtime NBA guard Goran Dragic in Slovenia last week, Nowitzki spoke about the possibility.
Here is what the 2011 NBA Finals MVP said about the 2023 NBA Finals MVP potentially playing alongside Doncic one day (via Eurohoops.net):
“They both have a great relationship with each other, they respect each other and like each other genuinely. They spend time with each other. I’m not sure, but of course, we want Luka in Dallas as long as we can. Hopefully, he finishes his career there, but I love Jokic’s game, how he plays the game with passion, and the skill level as a big is unbelievable. They’re both incredible players.”
During an interview with his teammate Michael Porter Jr. last season, Doncic was one of the first names that Jokic mentioned when asked who he felt were the best players in the league.
Last season, Jokic said that he would be open to teaming up with Doncic in the NBA. However, he added that he doesn’t want to leave Denver and that Doncic could join him on the Nuggets if he decides he is done with Dallas.
Cooper Flagg Sneakers
Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
Cooper Flagg is attending Duke next season. Duke is a Nike school. But the projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft just signed a deal with New Balance.
“This wasn’t supposed to happen. We’re not supposed to be here. Cooper Flagg is not supposed to be signed to New Balance today.
Yet, here we are.
This morning, New Balance released a promotional video featuring Flagg. It showed him shooting hoops in a driveway until a paper boy throws a newspaper in the driveway with a headline announcing Flagg’s decision.
New Balance labeled Flagg’s choice as “The Intelligent Choice,” seemingly taking a shot at the competitors around them. This was the brand’s announcement that they’d signed the newly minted Duke basketball star to a shoe deal.”
The Brooklyn Nets are getting a lower grade for trading Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks during the 2022-23 season for good reasons.
The Brooklyn Nets began their process of entering a rebuild during the 2022-23 season when they traded Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks. Though Brooklyn only ended up trading Irving because the two sides could not come to terms on a contract extension, it seems that the trade doesn’t look as good more than one year later.
In a recent article by Bleacher Report’s NBA staff in which they re-graded some of the biggest trades in the league over the past five years, the Nets did not come out as good for the Irving. In fact, compared to the grade they received when the Irving trade initially happened, it seems that Brooklyn is receiving a significant downgrade for the deal.
When B/R first gave their grade of the Irving trade, the Nets received an A+ due to their return of guard Spencer Dinwiddie, forward Dorian Finney-Smith, a 2029 first-round pick, and second-round picks in 2027 and 2029 in exchange for Irving and forward Markieff Morris. However, with the re-grade, the Nets are now getting just a B for the deal.
This makes sense given that most around the NBA agreed with the Nets trading Irving away given that he was mostly unavailable for Brooklyn due to injuries and extracurricular activities that happened during his tenure.
Where this grade ends up changing for both sides is that Irving ended up re-signing with the Mavericks following the 2022-23 season and played a huge role in Dallas getting to the NBA Finals for the 2023-24 season before losing to the Boston Celtics in five games.
With Dinwiddie no longer with the Nets and Finney-Smith most likely playing for another team at some point during this upcoming season, there is still time for the grade to improve depending on the return. So far, Brooklyn was able to use Dinwiddie to acquire Dennis Schroder from the Toronto Raptors last season and could use Finney-Smith to get one first-round pick and possibly a young player as well.
