Jimmy Butler’s stock has gone down since the start of the 24-25 season. Coming into the campaign, there was a lot of positivity around him. He was rumored to be focused on earning a big contract extension from the Miami Heat after he was not handed one in the offseason.
Butler’s performances have not backed up the hype though. He has had good games here and there, but overall, he has not looked anywhere near his best.
After seven games, Butler is averaging 18.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists while shooting just 16.7% from three-point range, one of the worst in the league.
If things do not improve, it would not be a surprise if the Heat start fielding trade offers for Butler. He has been linked with teams like the Golden State Warriors, Brooklyn Nets and Houston Rockets.
On the other hand, the Heat would need to find a replacement for him as well. Brandon Ingram might be an option worth considering in that regard.
In a Bleacher Report article, Zach Buckley named Miami as the best landing spot for Ingram. Explaining his choice, he wrote: “The Heat are perpetually searching for more offensive oomph, and Ingram could provide it. He has long been a rock-solid scorer and secondary creator, and his three-ball has so far impressed with both quantity and quality.
“It’s also possible Miami needs a long-term replacement for Jimmy Butler, who has a chance to join Ingram in 2025 free agency. The Heat might see an investment in Ingram as a more sustainable strategy—Ingram is eight years younger and a better timeline fit with Bam Adebayo—and they could even believe their developmental staff will coax more consistent defensive effort out of him.”
There are limitations to Ingram’s game for sure, especially on the defensive side of the floor, but nobody can deny what he brings to a team going forward.
Ingram is averaging 24.1 points per game this season while shooting 49.4% from the field and 36.1% from three-point range. That could be vital for a Heat team that has not been able to score more than 118 points in any of their games so far this season.
The New Orleans Pelicans have given extensions to Herbert Jones and Trey Murphy III but the situation surrounding Ingram’s contract has not been resolved yet. So, the writing could be on the wall for the former All-Star while the window of opportunity might be open for the Heat to swoop in if they want to.
