ESPN proposes stunning DeRozan-Butler trade between Kings, Heat originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Should the Kings kick the tires on the availability of disgruntled Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler?
Despite Sacramento having won seven of its last eight games, ESPN believes so.
Published Wednesday, ESPN insiders collaborated on a story outlining five potential blockbuster NBA trades before the Feb. 6 deadline, and Sacramento prominently was featured in what would be a stunning exchange. Here’s the proposal from ESPN’s Kevin Pelton:
Sacramento Kings get: forward Jimmy Butler, guard Alec Burks
Miami Heat get: forward DeMar DeRozan, guard Tim Hardaway Jr., 2028 first-round pick (top-four protected, via SAC)
Detroit Pistons get: guard Kevin Huerter, forward Trey Lyles, 2029 first-round pick swap option (via SAC)
“Should Sacramento consider trading for the disgruntled Butler after getting back to .500 under interim coach Doug Christie? I think it’s worth considering to raise the Kings’ playoff upside.”
There’s a lot to digest. But at the heart of the proposed trade is a DeRozan for Butler swap.
Butler, 35 and a 14-year veteran, is having a rough go. Over 22 games during the 2024-25 NBA season, he has averaged a relatively low 17.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.7 assists and isn’t the same player Miami fans loved since he joined the franchise in 2019. And, of course, Butler is linked to noise because of the recent trade requests and frustrated comments about Miami as an organization.
So why would Sacramento want to ship out DeRozan for that guy, especially when the Kings, including the wing they were thrilled to acquire this offseason, recently have hit some strides?
Only ESPN’s Pelton can explain.
“Since 2013, Butler has been one of the top 10 NBA players in terms of outperforming regular-season performance in the playoffs. Over that same span, nobody has underperformed more in the playoffs than DeRozan, who has produced 5.0 fewer wins — based on my wins above replacement player (WARP) rating — than we’d expect based on those regular seasons.”
DeRozan has averaged 21.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists over 35 games for 20-20 Sacramento. Moving him now for arguably a worse replacement wouldn’t make too much sense to most.
But Pelton believes DeRozan’s poor reputation in the playoffs and Butler’s elite one are items for the Kings to consider before the Feb. 6 deadline, though their respective postseason numbers aren’t much different. In the same breath, it sounds like the proposed DeRozan-Butler trade would intrigue Miami more than Sacramento, given the Heat don’t have much leverage.
“From Miami’s perspective, DeRozan would be an ideal Butler replacement because of his combination of production and contract,” Pelton wrote. “At $23.4 million this season, DeRozan is making nearly $30 million less than Butler.
“The Heat could get within striking distance of avoiding the luxury tax by making this trade and still have the ability to use their exceptions this summer when Hardaway’s contract comes off the books.”
It is unlikely the Kings acquired DeRozan just to trade him for another aging, big-name wing who struggles around the perimeter. But if the mock deal were to go down, Pelton would expect Huerter and Detroit to be involved mainly for financial reasons.
“A third team is required to avoid sticking Miami with Heurter’s contract. In this deal, Detroit uses its cap space to facilitate the Heat saving money and Sacramento staying out of the luxury tax, and nets a pick swap in 2029 — when the Pistons’ core should be in its prime, while Butler will likely have retired — in exchange for taking back Huerter.
“If Huerter can revert to his career 38 percent 3-point shooting, he’d fit well as part of Detroit’s emphasis on floor spacing. If not, the Pistons will get his contract off the books in 2026 along with forward Tobias Harris, maintaining their flexibility to build around Cade Cunningham.”
Expect the Kings and Butler to be linked until Miami finds a solution to its internal drama.
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