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The Miami Heat are trying to thread a pretty complicated needle in any potential Jimmy Butler trade. Miami wants to remain a playoff team, but the Heat also do not want to take on long-term money in a Butler trade.

Miami wants to make the playoffs this season, so that their first-round draft pick will convey to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2025 NBA Draft. If that pick does not convey, it will roll over to the 2026 draft with no protections. That will then force the Heat to give the Charlotte Hornets an unprotected first-round pick in the 2028 draft. If the Heat convey the pick to the Thunder this year, they owe the Hornets a lottery-protected pick in 2027.

In addition, Pat Riley and the Miami front office is looking to create salary flexibility in a Butler deal. The Heat are looking to players in the offseason free agent of trade market in either the summer of 2025 or the summer of 2026. That’s why Miami is reluctant to take back long-term money in a potential Butler deal.

The Detroit Pistons are mired in a 22-game losing streak. That has the team asking a lot of questions about both their short- and long-term future.

One thing Detroit is considering is whether or not it’s time to make a trade. A player the team reportedly has interest in is OG Anunoby of the Toronto Raptors. However, there is a sense the Pistons could wait and pursue Anunoby as a free agent this summer. The Raptors forward has a player option that he’s expected to decline for next season.

Another potential target is familiar face Tobias Harris of the Philadelphia 76ers. Harris would cost less to acquire than Anunoby, and Detroit is familiar with his skillset. Harris played parts of three seasons for the Pistons from 2015-16 through 2017-18.