Wild Jimmy Butler trade package shows exact reason Mavericks must stay away

Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler might have his time in Miami come to an end. Although Miami Heat President Pat Riley earlier said that he is not trading Butler, that doesn't mean the rumors of a trade won't or teams wanting to trade for Butler won't try.

One team that has been linked to Butler is the Dallas Mavericks. With making a run to the NBA Finals last season, as well as holding the fourth-best record in the Western Conference with a 20-11 record following their win last night against the Phoenix Suns, the Mavs could be looking to make a big trade at the deadline.

Pairing Butler with superstar duo Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving would make the Mavericks more deadly. However, the cost it could take to get Butler would be incredibly high. A recent trade package came out from Bleacher with the Mavericks being a team that gets Butler, but the trade package should be one to avoid.

Mavericks would give up 2024 playoff heroes, all-time 3-point shooter and swap picks for Butler

On Christmas, Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report wrote an article titled "NBA Trade Packages and Landing Spots for Miami Heat Star Jimmy Butler." Bailey put the Mavericks as a potential team with a huge trade package to receive Butler from the Heat.

When first thinking about it, a Butler trade for the Mavericks could be bold and give them the juice they need to make another NBA Finals push. Especially now with Doncic dealing with a left calf strain and his return being unknown. The Mavericks can't afford to drop in the standings with Doncic out, and Butler can be a player to keep them alive in the top four in the West, but the package is far too big.

Although Thompson is averaging just over 14 points per game, his 3-point shooting is so needed on the Mavericks. When Thompson gets hot from three, he's almost unstoppable and the Mavericks can't lose him in the lineup. Thompson recently passed Reggie Miller for the fifth most 3-pointers in NBA history.

Washington and Gafford are two important role players. Both of them were crucial pieces that helped the Mavericks reach the NBA Finals last season. With how important they were last season and their ability to average 12 points per game as supplemental pieces, their value isn't worth trading away for Butler. Even with a back-and-forth battle with Gafford and Dereck Lively II to determine who would be the starting center, Gafford still isn't worth trading.

The pick swaps in 2026 and 2031 are shaky. In 2026, the Mavericks will likely see themselves again as title contenders, assuming that Irving comes back to the team considering he has a player option after this season. If Irving doesn't come back, not having their first-round pick can hurt.

2031 is a year nobody knows what will happen since it's over six years away. With a year that might be uncertain, swapping a first-round pick in 2031 might not be ideal for the Mavericks.

Butler is averaging under 19 points a game this season at 35 years old. The fact that a package is that high for trading for an aging star, it would be too risky for the Mavericks.