Jimmy Butler to Reportedly Meet With Heat and Rockets as 76ers Ponder Sign-and-Trade
By Jerry Trotta
The NBA's 2019 highly-anticipated summer of free agency is heating up people. And we're still roughly 24 hours away from its official start!
Adrian Wojnarowski has been keeping us busy all day and the rumor whisperer is back at it. Jimmy Butler is expected to meet with the Miami Heat and Houston Rockets within the coming days as the Philadelphia 76ers continue to explore potential sign-and-trade options for the four-time All-Star, Woj understands.
Sources: Jimmy Butler expected to meet the Miami Heat in South Fla. Sunday. Butler/Rockets meeting likely early week in LA. Sixers haven’t ruled out working with Butler on sign-and-trades, which Miami and Houston need to acquire the All-Star guard.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2019
Of course, Miami tried to trade for Butler as the 29-year-old winger attempted to force his way out of Minnesota. However, Elton Brand and the Sixers snatched him up practically out of nowhere in November.
The Heat and Rockets would need to initiate a sign-and-trade for the former Marquette star because they don't have the necessary cap space at their disposal to sign a player to a max contract -- a luxury that Jimmy wants attached to his name.
Jimmy Butler to meet with Heat on Sunday, meeting with Houston "likely early" next week
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 29, 2019
Sixers "haven't ruled out" sign-and-trade with either team, per @wojespn pic.twitter.com/es7j6ZY7J3
Butler's future is about as foggy as any player in the crowded free agency class, but we appeared to have narrowed his potential destinations down to the Heat, Rockets, and 76ers, should they ultimately choose to lock him up themselves.
It remains to be seen what assets either franchise would consider coughing up but we will provide updates as they are made available.