Superstar Jimmy Butler must prove himself worthy of a maximum contract extension, but the Miami Heat also need to show they are deserving of Butler.

If the Heat underperform by missing the Play-In Tournament entirely, the 34-year-old could go elsewhere next offseason. A proposed candidate to sign Butler is the Brooklyn Nets, who kicked off their rebuild by trading Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks.

“The odds of him picking up his player option are slim unless he agrees to a max deal with the Heat beforehand,” New York Post’s Brian Lewis wrote. “The six-time All-Star is the most accomplished standout on that list not named James, and he likes Brooklyn, according to sources close to the player.”

This destination makes almost no sense, as the Nets signing a veteran forward to a maximum extension right after beginning a rebuild is illogical. Seeking to build up a core through trades and the NBA Draft is a much more ideal route to success.

The lone way Butler ends up in Brooklyn is if he’s tired of competing for an NBA championship but instead wants to mentor a future superstar like Cooper Flagg. The incoming Duke Blue Devils freshman is the projected No. 1 pick in next year’s draft.

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Anthony Pasciolla works as a contributing writer to Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at ampasciolla@gmail.com or follow him on X @AnthonyPasci.

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