Jimmy Butler’s future with the Maimi Heat might be a serious question after a 4-1 series loss in the opening round of the NBA playoffs. The Boston Celtics clinched the series against Butler-less Heat to move to the second round.
Jimmy Butler is already 34 years old and with every year his window on winning a championship is closing. He has moved around in the league to put himself in the best position to win a championship. With only a few years left in his career, there are rumors that Butler might want to move out of Miami.
In light of rumors surrounding Butler's future with the Heat, here are the top five landing spots for the six-time NBA All-Star.
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Top 5 landing spots for Jimmy Butler amid rumors of departure from Miami Heat
#5 LA Lakers
By now, the LA Lakers already know that two superstar players are not enough with a mediocre team around them. For the Lakers to have a better chance in the playoffs next season, they need to have another star player to support them and Jimmy Butler could be the perfect pick.
With Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves and D’Angelo Russell, the Lakers have enough pieces to make Miami happy in the Butler deal. Butler is a certified playoffs superstar and having him around LeBron James and Anthony Davis will only give them a better shot at the title.
#4 New York Knicks
The New York Knicks have just eliminated the Philadelphia 76ers from the NBA playoffs and it is a testament to how far they have come in the last few seasons. The Knicks are just a star addition away from being a championship contender in the league, giving Butler a perfect platform.
The Knicks had the second-best record in the Eastern Conference despite Julius Randle being out in the last weeks of the regular season. If the Knicks can form a team with Butler, Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby with a strong supporting cast around, the fate of New York’s Madison Square Garden can change.
#3 Philadelphia 76ers
By this time, the Philadelphia 76ers should have realized that picking Tobias Harris over Jimmy Butler was not the best idea. The 76ers have failed again and again even with Embiid playing the best basketball of his career.
Daryl Morey has seen too much drama with the Sixers and would definitely want to turn the team’s fate around next season. Moreover, the amicable relationship between Butler and Joel Embiid should also play a big part in signing Butler should he want out of Miami.
#2 Brooklyn Nets
Despite how the Brooklyn Nets looked this season, there is no denying that they are just a star player away from being a playoff team. Since trading away Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving to rebuild the team, the Nets are looking to make themselves a contender again with a strong base.
The Nets have Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Nick Claxton and Cam Thomas on their roster. Adding a veteran like Jimmy Butler to such a deep young team can do wonders for the Nets.
#1 Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings were one of the most active teams before the trade deadline this season. It was reported that the Kings were ready to move Keegan Murray and Harrison Barnes to acquire a star to help the team in its quest for a deep playoff run.
Jimmy Butler could solve a lot of problems for the Kings, given they choose to move to next season with him. He could add to their wing defense, while also bringing a star-level scorer to take up some scoring responsibility. The Kings have a chance to become one of the top teams in the West next season if they make the right moves and acquiring Jimmy Butler makes a lot of sense for them.
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