NBA Rumors: Jimmy Butler could leave Heat for $4.9 billion franchise after reported plans to decline $52.4 million extension..

The Jimmy Butler era in Miami could soon be coming to an end, and teams could already be lining up to snag him. According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, Butler intends to decline his player option worth $52.4 million, which would make him a free agent next summer.

The Miami Heat would likely explore trade options where they get something in return for Butler. If this happens, league insider Marc Stein reported on Sunday that the Houston Rockets are a team that would try to acquire the six-time All-Star.

The Houston Rockets have a young core, and acquiring a star like Jimmy Butler could propel them into playoff contenders.

The last time the Rockets made the playoffs was in 2020, when James Harden and Russell Westbrook were running the show. The franchise has not been to the NBA Finals since 1995.

Despite their recent struggles, the Rockets are the seventh-highest-valued franchise in the league according to Forbes. They are valued at $4.9 billion which is higher than the Heat (No. 13, $4.25 billion). Houston’s franchise is also valued higher than the 2021 champion Milwaukee Bucks (No. 15, $4 billion) and the 2023 champion Denver Nuggets (No. 17, $3.9 billion).

Can the Houston Rockets trade for Jimmy Butler without involving another team?

If the Houston Rockets are serious about trading for Jimmy Butler, that means they want to win now. So, they could be unlikely to include Fred VanVleet in a package for him.

Last season, the Rockets flirted with the final play-in spot. They were also the only 40-win team to not be a part of the postseason. VanVleet was a huge part of that.

He is the only player who would fit in a one-for-one trade for Butler. However, the 6-foot point guard is also the only Rockets player who was both an NBA champion (2019) and an All-Star (2022).

Theoretically, the Rockets can acquire Butler without involving a third team while excluding VanVleet. However, they would have to nearly gut their roster to do so. This will likely cost them Dillon Brooks, either one or both of Steven Adams and Jeff Green, one of their young prospects and a pick or two. A move that would be counterintuitive to their playoff aspirations.

As such, another team will likely need to be involved. Including one doesn’t mean the Rockets won’t surrender any assets, however, they minimize what they need to give up.

A future pick or two will still need to be involved and they might still have to include Adams and Green. Although, they have a better chance of keeping their young core intact.

In this scenario, they could turn themselves into a win-now team with Jimmy Butler and still be a contender in the future without rebuilding.