Jimmy Butler has, once again, seen his name dragged into multiple rumors as the NBA trade deadline slowly approaches. The Houston Rockets have been identified as one of the teams that could potentially swoop in and take the six-time All-Star away from the grasp of the Miami Heat, while teams such as the Milwaukee Bucks and the Golden State Warriors have also been linked to Butler.
NBA legend Paul Pierce chimed in on the matter at hand during a recent episode of former Boston Celtics teammate Kevin Garnett's "KG Certified" podcast. Pierce was quick to shut down the idea of Butler joining a young team such as the Rockets. According to Pierce, he would much rather see Butler leave Miami in favor of a move to Milwaukee.
"I like Jimmy Butler on a team that can get you over the top," Pierce started. "Like Jimmy Butler to Milwaukee makes more sense to me. He could be that missing piece at the age of 35 that you need to take the pressure off of Giannis and Dame Lillard."
Jimmy Butler is no spring chicken, but there's no denying that he still brings a lot to the table. In six games played this season, the five-time All-NBA forward is averaging 18.7 points on 48.0% shooting, 5.0 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.8 steals in 33.3 minutes per game.
Should he make the move to the Bucks, who at 1-6 are currently tied with the Utah Jazz for the worst record in the NBA, Butler will be able to form a legitimate Big 3 with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard.
"If I'm 35, I want to go somewhere to where I got a chance to for a (championship) at this point," Pierce noted.
Garnett agreed with the notion, adding that Butler to Milwaukee "changes things."
For what it's worth, Butler did not receive a contract extension with the Heat this past summer. He has a player option for 2025-26, which means that he could walk away from Miami this summer.
This potentially makes him a prime trade candidate for the Heat, who might want to cash in on him while they still can as opposed to losing him for nothing in the offseason.
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