NBA Trades: The Heat, Kings, and Warriors swap stars in a blockbuster proposed deal
The hypothetical 3-team mega trade would send Jimmy Butler to the Warriors, Andrew Wiggins, Kevon Looney, and Jonathan Kuminga and a first-round pick to the Kings, and De'Aaron Fox and Gary Payton II to the Heat.
The Heat would swap out Butler and a first and get a star in return by landing Fox from the Kings. That would probably be the best-case scenario for the Heat, who would be able to pair Fox with Herro and Adebayo and try to reconfigure their roster around them.
With Butler proving to be an increasingly bigger distraction, moving on from him and getting a positive value return would be ideal. Better yet, getting a 27-year-old star would give the Heat another player to build around and keep the Heat from having to do a full-on build.
It will cost them a first-round pick in addition to Butler, but that could be well worth it if the core of Fox, Herro, and Adebayo can help Miami get back into title contention. Meanwhile, the Kings would get several rotation players back in return for their best player. Adding Wiggins, Looney, and Kuminga would give them a solid return for Fox.
That is not to mention that they would also be getting a first-round pick in the deal. Kuminga alone would be a worthwhile prospect for the Kings, given that he has played very well of late, averaging 20.5 points per game over his last 14 games.
With a bigger role, he could thrive in Sacramento. Wiggins, despite his varying level of effort, is still an above-average 3-and-D player and would potentially help Sacramento's defense. He could also be traded again if the Kings deem him not to be an ideal fit playing alongside DeMar DeRozan and Kuminga and could fetch them more assets.
This deal could arguably net the Kings more than any other trade for Fox should it happen. As for the Warriors. They would be trading four rotation players for Butler, which would hurt their depth but perhaps increase their ceiling. Butler, after all, is highly regarded for his play in the postseason, and having another player who can take over a playoff game is a rarity, but Golden State would have two with him and Curry.
That move would not be without risk, given that Butler is 35 years old and his career is clearly on the decline. However, the Warriors require a big trade to get back to the playoffs, and he'd be an upgrade over Wiggins. It is also unclear if they will be able to bring Kuminga back next season with him being a restricted free agent and likely to draw a major contract offer.
Meanwhile, Looney will be a free agent and seemingly unlikely to be re-signed after this season. That means that the Warriors may not be losing as much as at first glance. However, would the Heat, Kings, and Warriors agree to the trade? Next, we'll take a look and see.