While the Miami Heat have been rumored to be out of the potential Jimmy Butler trade drama because they want to keep Josh Richardson, there could potentially be another phone call that could still offer some nice assets.
ESPN’s Jorge Sedano reports the Miami drama below:
"Via, CBS Sports “There’s been a couple of different incarnations of this deal. The first one, the Heat didn’t want to take back Gorgui Dieng. Then, the next incarnation of the deal was ‘OK forget it, let’s just do it straight up, just for Jimmy on your end.’ They finally relented on Josh Richardson. They were giving them Josh Richardson, then Dion Waiters was going to be the cap filler and then a protected first-round pick. “The medicals were exchanged, which generally in the NBA means this is a done deal. And then, Thibs called back and wanted more picks. And Pat Riley literally — I was told – called him a motherbleeper and hung up the phone.”"
In this case, we have Gorgui Dieng still going to Miami, which is presumably what Thibs wants out of a deal with the Heat.
What the Timberwolves do get back is not exactly Josh Richardson, but Rodney McGruder is a nice role player off the bench that is known as the ‘Scavenger’ by fans in Miami for his hustle all over the court at all times – which sounds like a Thibs guy.
Dion Waiters is a headache, but he’s a shooting guard that can make big plays – when healthy.
Hassan Whiteside is the real reason the Timberwolves make this deal, even though I personally wouldn’t do it. He’s been reported by the Ringer to be in fantastic shape and ready to go off this season hoping for an All-Star year.
The only issue for Minnesota is that they have to come to terms with Towns playing the four if they bring Whiteside in, which in reality is where he can probably be most effective with his current skill set.
So scheme-wise, I love the idea of this deal, but it could quite possibly go terribly wrong with how the NBA has seen Whiteside’s ups and downs.
The protected first round pick is nice, but again this is not a deal I would do.
Our next trade idea is with the Detroit Pistons, who have a couple interesting pieces to offer – probably not what you think …