The Houston Rockets and Jimmy Butler are now fully linked in NBA trade rumors after reports came out that the Miami Heat are open to trading the star forward. Butler reportedly intends to opt out of his $52.4 million player option for the 2025-26 season, and will test free agency.

The Rockets have also made it clear that they are firm in keeping their core together, which could come as a contradiction to reports that Butler is open to being traded to Houston. The reports have created chaos less than two months before the NBA trade deadline, which is Feb. 6.

While these reports seem to contradict each other, one NBA insider explained why Houston could get a deal done with moving the young core of Alperen Sengun, Jalen Green, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., and Tari Eason. The deal would involve veteran talent as well as draft capital.

Bobby Marks of ESPN joined NBA Today to present a mock trade for the Rockets to acquire Butler.

Marks uses veteran contracts to work around a deal for Butler, who is making $48.8 million this season. However, Houston would have to throw in a boatload of draft picks to make the deal work.

Rockets receive: Jimmy Butler

Heat receive: Dillon Brooks, Jock Landale, Jae’Sean Tate, Aaron Holiday, draft capital

“When we’re looking at draft picks, we can add draft picks here,” Marks said. “But when you look at it, that works here.”

The salaries would match to complete the trade in that aspect, but the biggest difficulty when refusing to trade any players in the young core is figuring out how much draft capital to send over. Houston has 10 potential first-round picks from 2025 to 2031. It’s certainly an interesting mock trade, but would the Heat agree to it if the only future pieces they would get back are in the form of future picks?

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