Although the Miami Heat has seen significant success with Jimmy Butler on the team, there has been speculation and rumors about Butler’s possible availability in the trade market in the near future. While there haven’t been any indications that the Heat are looking to move him, nor has Butler indicated that he wants to be traded, teams such as the Houston Rockets have begun to monitor Butler’s situation in Miami.

Celtics legend Paul Pierce believes that Jimmy Butler would be a perfect addition to the Warriors or Bucks instead of a young team like the Rockets should he and the Miami Heat look to part ways in 2025, per his comments on the most recent edition of Ticket & The Truth.

“Like, Houston, I like where they are already. They developing,” Pierce said. “They fought last year at the end of the year for a playoff spot or a play-in spot. So it was showing me they got better. So, I want to keep that on schedule right now. I got the necessary veterans I need. I don’t need an older player just to make the playoffs.

He continued, “Like, Jimmy to like, Golden State, or Jimmy to Milwaukee, or, or, you know, something like that would make a little more sense to me. If I’m 35, I want to go somewhere where I got a chance for a chip at this point, that I can help a team get over the top. You know, that I could add to that got these ingredients like a couple more seasonings away from like, Ooh, this gonna be it.”

Butler joined the Miami Heat during the 2019 offseason, having spent roughly half a season with the Philadelphia 76ers following his early season trade from the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Heat have found immense success with Butler, making the NBA Finals in 2020 and 2023 and clinching an Eastern Conference Finals birth in 2022.

The Heat face off against the Phoenix Suns tonight at 9 PM EST.