The Dallas Mavericks have been linked to Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler as speculation about his potential availability grows. However, NBA executives doubt the team’s short-term ability to make such a move under the league’s financial constraints.
The Mavericks, fresh off a dramatic 121-116 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night, secured a spot in the NBA Cup quarterfinals thanks to Luka Dončić’s 37 points and 12 rebounds. Spencer Dinwiddie and P.J. Washington Jr. hit clutch 3-pointers in the final two minutes, capping a furious comeback from a 15-point deficit. The win marked Dallas’ fifth consecutive victory and kept them trending upward, with nine wins in their last ten games.
Financial Challenges Make a Butler Deal Unlikely
Despite their momentum, acquiring Butler remains a long shot. According to Grant Afseth of DallasHoopsJournal.com, rival executives cited significant challenges for the Mavericks in executing a midseason trade for Butler, primarily due to the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The 35-year-old forward, who holds a $52.4 million player option for the 2025-26 season, would require substantial salary matching to complete a deal, an obstacle one executive described as nearly insurmountable.
“Moving that kind of salary midseason is almost impossible for a contender with this CBA,” an executive told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “The salary-matching rules are brutal, and unless you’re sending out another massive contract, moving around contracts to fit roster spot limits is tough. For Jimmy, we’re talking about a player making more than Luka [Dončić] and Kyrie [Irving]—it’s tough to see how that adds up.”
The Mavericks, currently fifth in the Western Conference with a 14-8 record, would likely have to part with key rotation players to make the finances work. Another executive highlighted the potential consequences of such a move.
“They’d have to gut their rotation,” the executive said. “This kind of move makes more sense in the offseason when you can make other changes to address new roster holes a big trade creates. Also, Jimmy’s going to be 36 next season. He’s a great player, but moving role players in their prime on good contracts is risky.”
More Favorable Outlook in the Summer
Dallas has a history of making midseason moves under general manager Nico Harrison, but executives suggested the Mavericks’ best path to acquiring Butler might involve waiting until the offseason. Butler’s reported preference to delay any decisions about his future also supports this approach.
“There’s more flexibility doing this in the summer,” an executive noted to DallasHoopsJournal.com. “The Mavericks could explore sign-and-trade scenarios or restructure deals for their current stars, but pulling it off midseason would be incredibly difficult.”
Even with a roster built to compete now, Dallas faces financial challenges. Irving is expected to decline his $43.9 million player option next summer, likely signing a new deal with the Mavericks. Meanwhile, Dončić’s supermax extension looms, creating additional long-term cap considerations.
Sitting at 9-10 in the Eastern Conference, the Heat have not signaled an intention to trade Butler. Miami’s postseason pedigree under Pat Riley further complicates the possibility of an in-season deal.
Dallas may focus on smaller moves to bolster its roster, leaving significant trades like a Butler acquisition for the offseason.
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