Celtics Clear Winner in Latest Superstar Trade Speculation
By Cem Yolbulan
As all Celtics fans know, the biggest postseason foe for the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference in recent years has been the Miami Heat. Led by superstar forward Jimmy Butler, the Heat has been a thorn in Boston's side for years. Miami defeated the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2020 and 2023 behind Butler's spectacular play. Boston defeated Miami in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2022 and in the first round in 2024. The road to the NBA Finals went through Butler each time.
That may no longer be the case in the East. Jimmy Butler, who is waiting for a contract extension from the Heat, is reportedly available on the trade market. All the potential suitors for the 35-year-old superstar are Western Conference teams. The Golden State Warriors, the Houston Rockets, the Dallas Mavericks, and the Phoenix Suns are considered to be the top landing spots for Butler.
Butler Potentially Leaving the East is Great News for the Celtics
.@ShamsCharania with the latest on the Suns being added as a potential trade destination for Jimmy Butler:
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) December 12, 2024
- Phoenix joins the Mavericks, Rockets and Warriors as teams Butler would be open to playing for.
- Shams says keep a “very close eye” on the Suns as a real suitor for… pic.twitter.com/2X5SIrgQtc
This is excellent news for the Celtics in the immediate future. Even though Miami hasn't been a dominant regular-season team lately, with head coach Erik Spoelstra and Butler's playoff heroics, they were always going to be a force to be reckoned with come playoff time. A potential Butler deal all but ends that possibility, forcing Miami into a new, likely less competitive era.
The East is already the weaker of the two conferences, benefitting Boston immensely. Much hay has been made of the Celtics' relatively easy path to the NBA Finals last season. Even though the Celtics silenced those criticisms by completely dominating the opponents they faced in the playoffs, that could still be the case this time around, especially with Milwaukee's struggles and Philadelphia's massive Joel Embiid question mark.
The Cavaliers look like the second-best team in the East right now, but the Celtics will not fear going up against them after easily taking care of business against them in the 2024 playoffs. Right now, The Celtics are -115 favorites to make the NBA Finals per FanDuel Sportsbook, with the Knicks and Cavs following them at +500 and +600, respectively. Essentially eliminating the Heat from contention only makes Celtics fans more confident about their chances.
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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.