The Utah Jazz made easy work out of the Miami Heat last night. They were hitting on all cylinders, and if Jimmy Butler were added to the mix, that team would be pretty entertaining. However, we all know what the Jazz want. Hence, Butler's the last player they should look into.
Butler is definitely available right now, and it's not exactly clear who his next team could be. All U Can Heat's Jack Simone proposed the following trade between the Heat and Jazz that we all know the Jazz wouldn't do (which he acknowledges).
Jazz get: Butler
Heat get: John Collins, Collin Sexton, Cavaliers 2025 first-round pick, Cavaliers 2027 first-round pick
The Jazz may have had their impressive blowouts every now and again, but they are tanking the season, no questions asked. So, let's just rip the band-aid off now.
Grade: F
But here's why this trade is onto something
The Jazz wouldn't be the (absolute) worst destination for Butler because they have a solid core of veterans to surround him if they had any interest. Compare that to the Raptors, who are much younger and don't have the number of veterans the Jazz do. The point is that it understandably doesn't make sense, but some teams make even less sense.
A Butler trade to Utah would be immediately shut down because acquiring him would simply hinder the Jazz's tanking aspirations. However, what Simone brings up in this trade here is noteworthy. The Jazz would not want Butler, nor should they, but they could get involved in a trade involving him if they so chose.
This proposed trade involves Collins and Sexton, among the most likely Jazz trade candidates. If the opportunity presented itself, it may not be the worst idea if they can get involved in a Butler trade without giving up any assets, getting an expiring contract, and not acquiring anyone who could hurt their tanking efforts.
That could be reaching a bit, and it's not likely, but Danny Ainge has always been one to take advantage of opportunities to help achieve his team's goals. The biggest reason why the Jazz may not get involved is because he and Pat Riley don't have a good history with one another.
Even if the Jazz don't get involved in a Butler trade, if and when he parts ways with South Beach, he'll be one of the biggest dominoes to fall. That could open the door for players like Collins and Sexton to be traded.
It could also further define what the trade market for the Jazz players who could be traded in the next month.