The Miami Heat’s front office has been especially busy amid the endless trade speculation surrounding Jimmy Butler, but recent rumblings suggest that they could be working overtime as they pursue trades not involving the superstar forward.

Plenty of valued options have recently become available for trade by rebuilding franchises as the Feb. 6 trade deadline quickly approaches. Surprisingly, Miami looks to be in the market to trade for a player that could be conducive to a deep postseason run despite their current standing as the Eastern Conference’s No. 8 seed with a 21-20 record. 

Even through all of the noise concerning Butler, Heat general manager Andy Elisburg could consider reaching out to the Toronto Raptors to negotiate a trade centered around NBA champion and highly-regarded two-way role player Bruce Brown.

“If the Heat wind up moving Butler, they’ll need to find a multifaceted swingman to replace his defensive versatility, secondary creation, downhill scoring and overall tenacity,” wrote Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley on Monday.

“The healthy version of Brown checks all of those boxes (though, if this needs to be said, not to the same degree that Butler does).”

As a member of the Denver Nuggets in 2022-23, Brown helped the franchise to its first-ever NBA title while providing support in all areas. Brown’s reputation as a gritty defender and capable offensive player has stuck, even as a member of the 10-32 Raptors this season.

After recently returning from injury for Toronto in 2024-25, Brown is averaging 7.2 points and 3.4 rebounds while shooting 44.4% on his three-point attempts from the corners in nine appearances. 

Brown also possesses an incredible ability to play taller than his 6-foot-4 frame, leading many to recognize his willingness to play spot minutes at the center position as well as his ability to guard opponents of all shapes and sizes.

With the hypothetical acquisition of Brown, Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra would surely be ecstatic to bring in a proven former second-round pick and tenacious competitor prior to the trade deadline. 

In a potential deal, the Heat would likely give away a young prospect like Pelle Larsson or Nikola Jović along with draft capital to assist Toronto with their rebuilding efforts.

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