Sat, Jul 6, 2019 at 12:00am

JIMMY BUTLER BOLTS FOR MIAMI!

In a four-team trade, the Miami Heat acquired forward/guard Jimmy Butler from the Philadelphia 76ers, center/forward Meyers Leonard from the Portland Trail Blazers and cash from the Los Angeles Clippers; the 76ers acquired guard/forward Josh Richardson from Miami; the Trail Blazers acquired center Hassan Whiteside from Miami, and the Los Angeles Clippers acquired forward Maurice Harkless from Portland, a protected first-round draft pick in 2023 from Miami and forward/center Mathias Lessort from Philadelphia.

What does it give the Miami Heat
This long-rumored deal is finally official! Butler gives the Heat a true superstar to replace the retired Dwyane Wade. He will have the ball in his hands a lot with the Heat and provide his patented all-around game. With the veteran Butler (he turns 30 in September) now in the fold, Miami believes it can once again contend in the NBA's Eastern Conference. In Leonard, the Heat also receive a backup big man to help replace the departing Whiteside in this deal. Leonard should back up Bam Adebayo at the center position but he might also see minutes at the 4 for Miami. The cash acquired from this deal helps Miami's bottom line.

What does it give the Philadelphia 76ers
For Philadelphia, once it became apparent that Butler was not going to re-sign with them, this move was imperative to maintain their status as a true contender in the East. Richardson is not nearly as good as Butler but he can provide offense from the wing (which is what he can do to help replace Butler). While the Sixers lost Butler and veteran shooting guard JJ Redick (free agency), the arrival of Richardson, the re-signing of forward Tobias Harris and the signing of veteran big man Al Horford as a free agent keeps Philly among the NBA's power teams.

What does it give the Portland Trail Blazers
For the Trail Blazers, this trade helps them immensely with the acquisition of one of the best true centers in the NBA in Whiteside, who is going to play a huge role early on in 2019-20 during the absence of Josef Nurkic (fractured leg). The trade cost Portland backup big man Meyeres Leonard and starting forward Maurice Harkless but it fills a huge void at the 5 position. Once Nurkic is ready to return to action, he could be brought along slowly if Whiteside (who is notorious for hot and cold spells) is playing well. This gives coach Terry Stotts plenty of options.

What does it give the Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers wanted Butler for themselves, but they decided to become an active part of this massive transaction anyway because they were able to a key asset acquired to eventually secure both Paul George and Kawhi Leonard in other moves. Harkless should help LA but with both George and Leonard now on board, Harkless could be forced to play power forward or come off the bench for the Clips. The protected first-rounder from Miami was shipped to Oklahoma City in the George trade, while Lessort remains an un-signed prospect currently toiling in Europe.

Fantasy impact
Butler is going to do well in Miami as the leading man for coach Erik Spoelstra. His fantasy value will be even higher than when he was in either Philadelphia or Minnesota. A return to his dominant Chicago days could be in the offing for Butler. Richardson and Whiteside may also thrive in their new digs, while Harkless could see a regression in touches with the Clippers. Leonard may see a spike in playing time as a backup but his value is minimal.