Analysts cautious on price of Butler deal
MIAMI — ESPN analysts Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson said Monday they would pause before offering Jimmy Butler the type of 2019 free-agent contract the AllStar guard is seeking as part of his trade demand from the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Speaking on the network’s conference call to promote ESPN’s upcoming NBA coverage, Van Gundy said there is no question that acquiring Butler would lift the Heat to another tier in the Eastern Conference.
“I put them as definitely a playoff team,” Van Gundy, the former New York Knicks and Houston Rockets coach, said.
“If they traded for someone as talented as Butler is, then I would put them in that next group.
“The one thing about Miami, I think they have stuff you can count on — depth, great defense, move the ball. They just aren’t as talented.”
Butler, 29, is believed to be seeking a five-year, $190 million maximum contract that would start in 2019-20. Such an agreement would pay him in excess of $40 million as a 34-year-old.
“I think that’s the $100,000 question,” said Jackson, the former All-Star point guard and Golden State Warriors coach. “It’s not Jimmy Butler today and what he’s worth. If you give him that extension, at 34 years old, making that kind of money, it can really handcuff your franchise and those are the tough positions you boil it down to, whether the trade is worth it or not.
“He’s certainly a heck of a basketball player and he’s going to help them today. That really makes it tough. And if I was a general manager, I would try to meet somewhere halfway when I’m not paying that kind of money when he’s 34.”
Van Gundy said the length of Butler’s next contract might be a sticking point for him if he were involved in such trade negotiations.
“I’m not at all convinced that every team, like Miami, that they would do that,” Van Gundy said. “I’m not convinced. Like people would say, ‘Houston did it for Chris Paul.’ But Houston is and was closer to a championship than Miami. And, secondary, I think Chris Paul is going to go down as one of the all-time greats.
“So I’m not convinced that the team that ultimately trades for Jimmy Butler will feel necessary to give him five years. I do think there will be negotiations.”
Asked if he would be willing to trade some of the Heat’s young pieces, such as Josh Richardson or Bam Adebayo, Van Gundy said, “As far as would I do it? You have to know the specifics of a trade to say I would or wouldn’t do a specific thing. But the idea to trade for Jimmy Butler? Yeah, I like that idea for Miami.”