Before the New York Knicks made a splash trade in the offseason to acquire Mikal Bridges from the crosstown rival Brooklyn Nets, they nearly made a move to acquire another star forward from a different Eastern Conference rival.
The Knicks nearly acquired Jimmy Butler in the offseason
According to a recent report from HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, the Knicks were considering a trade for Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler. The 35-year-old had previously stated that he was not going to sign an extension with the Heat before his opt-out in 2025, making him a name suddenly available on the trade market to some degree.
However, Scotto added that New York and Miami never got very far in trade talks surrounding Butler.
“The New York Knicks expressed interest in Butler this past summer, sources said,” Scotto wrote. “However, talks didn’t go far beyond exploratory interest before the Knicks acquired Mikal Bridges from the Nets, who were much more willing to make a trade than the Heat at the time.”
The Knicks acquired players that fit their timeline over Butler
Ultimately, the Knicks acquired Bridges for five first-round picks and an additional pick swap right before the start of free agency. The move was a stunner given the scarce trade history between the two teams, and trading Butler to New York would have been an even bigger shock.
Bringing Butler to the Big Apple would have reunited him with head coach Tom Thibodeau for a third time, as the two were together during their time with the Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves. It would not have been much of a process to adapt Bulter into the Knicks’ system, but given his older age and New York having a clear star in Jalen Brunson, it made more sense for them to pursue someone that it the timeline more.
New York also went and acquired another former Thibodeau product Karl-Anthony Towns just before the start of training camp. The trades have worked out nicely for them, as they are 12-8 on the season and currently have the league’s top offense. As for Miami, they will navigate this season with the hopes that they can move Butler for important building pieces should they not reach an extension before the offseason.