The Los Angeles Lakers' 2024-25 performance has been a mixed bag, to say the least.
J.J. Redick's team is 14-12 on the season and back in a Play-In Tournament spot following Sunday's hard-fought 116-110 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. Although momentum seems to be back, the Lakers still haven't won back-to-back outings since the middle of November, suggesting that LeBron James & Co. could use more help from GM Rob Pelinka.
The Lakers have been looking to add a third star to play alongside James and Anthony Davis for a few seasons now. One potential target this season is Jimmy Butler, who could be on his way out of Miami if the Heat don't change their stance regarding a potential contract extension.
While adding Butler to Redick's lineup would likely boost the Lakers' championship outlook, one NBA insider has listed a serious hurdle in any potential deal.
Lakers Rumors: Money is an Obstacle in Potential Jimmy Butler Trade
In a mailbag video on Dec. 11, The Athletic's Jovan Buha discussed the Lakers' interest in Butler and what a potential deal could look like.
"I would assume that the Lakers kicked the tires on (a potential Butler trade)," Buha said. "The potential cost for Jimmy Butler would be a (unprotected) first-round pick or two... That's a potential move I think the Lakers would be open to."
But as great as Butler would look playing next to James and Davis, a trade could be easier said than done, according to Buha, for one reason: money.
"(A potential trade) does get tricky because Jimmy's making so much money," Buha said. "Just matching the salary from a contract perspective gets pretty tricky for the Lakers."
Butler's cap hit currently sits at $48.7 million as he plays the season year of the four-year, $184 million contract he signed back in August 2021. The Lakers have the sixth-smallest amount of remaining cap space, per Spotrac, meaning they'll have to get rid of multiple players if they want to bring in the six-time All-Star forward.
With that in mind, Los Angeles could offer Miami various names, including D'Angelo Russell ($18.6 million), Rui Hachimura ($17 million), Gabe Vincent ($11 million), and Jarred Vanderbilt ($10.7 million).
Butler, 35, is a battle-proven forward who's been one of basketball's best players of the last decade, proven by his making five All-NBA and All-Defensive teams throughout his career. He was always a great player, but his game reached a new level after joining the Heat, having averaged 21.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 1.7 steals in the last six seasons.
Having said that, the ex-Marquette product's production is down this year.
Appearing in 18 games so far, Butler is only averaging 18.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.7 assists while his three-point percentage has dropped from 41.4% to 36.0% from last year. He is shooting a career-best 55.0% from the floor, though, proving that he's still valuable to any contending team even if his best days are behind him.
JIMMY BUTLER THROWS IT DOWN TO FORCE OT 🔥 pic.twitter.com/KlLDXJHFMr
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 25, 2024
It's clear that the Lakers need help on both sides of the ball. Butler's reliable two-way play would easily help address those issues while ensuring that Los Angeles becomes a legitimate contender in the Western Conference.
For now, the Lakers own the 14th-best NBA Championship odds (+4100) on FanDuel Sportsbook. Having said that, those odds could potentially skyrocket if Pelinka decides to pull the trigger on a Butler deal with the Heat before the Feb. 6 trade deadline.
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