Win-now veteran Jimmy Butler is drawing some trade interest from [checks notes] a 12-36 team.
NBA writer Marc Stein reported to Substack on Friday that the New Orleans Pelicans have emerged as a new trade suitor for the disgruntled Miami Heat star Butler. Stein adds that an offer from the Pelicans would likely be built around the $35 million contract of forward Brandon Ingram.
New Orleans has an interesting situation right now because Ingram, like Butler, can leave as a free agent this summer. While the 27-year-old Ingram is likely the better piece to try to convince to re-sign rather than the volatile 35-year-old Butler, the Pelicans may be feeling pessimistic about extending Ingram after months of negotiations. Having been absolutely shredded by injuries this season, New Orleans is probably far better than their record suggests too, and they have a decent young core of Herb Jones (26), Zion Williamson (24), Trey Murphy III (24), and Yves Missi (20) to try to convince Butler to stick around with.
The six-time All-Star Butler’s antics are clearly costing him in the eyes of some potential suitors right now. But he may just have a match in a New Orleans team that is as desperate to get something back for Ingram as Miami is to trade Butler.
